Last Updated on 13/07/2026 by TinHN Editor
France vs Spain is the first World Cup 2026 semi-final, kicking off at 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. It pits the tournament’s two pre-tournament favourites against each other: France have won all six matches with Kylian Mbappé leading the Golden Boot race on eight goals, while Spain have conceded just one goal in six games and set the longest clean-sheet streak in World Cup history. The Opta supercomputer leans France at 57.7% — but Spain have won seven of the last 10 meetings between them.
France vs Spain: At a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Competition | World Cup 2026 semi-final (first) |
| Fixture | France vs Spain |
| Kickoff | Tuesday, July 14 — 3:00 PM ET (8:00 PM BST) |
| Venue | AT&T Stadium, Arlington/Dallas — capacity 70,649 |
| How to watch (US) | Fox Sports, Telemundo, Peacock |
| France record | 6 wins from 6 — 16 scored, 2 conceded |
| Spain record | 5 wins, 1 draw — just 1 goal conceded |
| Leading scorers | Mbappé (FRA) 8 goals, 3 assists ｜ Oyarzabal (ESP) 4 goals |
| Opta — reach final | France 57.7% ｜ Spain 42.3% |
| Opta — win tournament | France 34.0% ｜ Spain 23.4% |
| Last 10 meetings | Spain have won 7 |
| World Cup head-to-head | One meeting: 2006 last 16, France won 3-1 |
| Winner faces | England or Argentina in the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium |
One-line call: France’s transition speed against Spain’s control of tempo — a tie likely settled by a single goal, and one with a real chance of extra time.
Why This Is a Final a Round Early
Opta’s numbers say it plainly. France (34.0%) and Spain (23.4%) have a combined 57.4% chance of lifting the trophy — well clear of the other half of the draw, where England (21.9%) and Argentina (20.6%) add up to 42.5%. In the supercomputer’s view, the 2026 World Cup will most likely be won by whoever survives Dallas.
This is also only the third time all four World Cup semi-finalists have been former winners, after 1970 and 1990. France and Spain were the two highest-rated of that quartet going into the tournament.
France: The Most Complete Team in the Tournament
France are the only side left with a perfect record. They beat Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0 and Norway 4-1 in Group I, swept Sweden aside 3-0 in the round of 32, edged a stubborn Paraguay 1-0 through an Mbappé penalty in the last 16, and dispatched Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-final.
Six matches, 16 goals scored, two conceded — and clean sheets in all three knockout games.
Against Morocco, France posted an xG of 3.69 to 0.14. That was not a narrow win; it was a demolition.
Mbappé and Dembélé: The Second Such Pair in 50 Years
Mbappé has eight goals and three assists, level with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race. Ousmane Dembélé has five.
That makes France only the second side in the last 50 years to have two players score 5+ goals at the same World Cup — the last were Brazil in 2002 (Ronaldo 8, Rivaldo 5). England have since matched it too, through Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham (six apiece).
Mbappé and Dembélé have created 19 chances for each other this summer. Meanwhile Michael Olise leads the entire tournament with six assists — one more and he equals Pelé’s record for assists at a single World Cup.
Deschamps: Rewriting the Records in His Final Tournament
The 2-0 win over Morocco was Didier Deschamps’ 20th World Cup victory as a manager — the first man to reach that mark. It was also his 25th World Cup match in charge, equalling Helmut Schön’s record. The semi-final will be his 26th, and the record will be his alone.
It is also his last tournament. Deschamps steps down afterwards.
One more number in France’s favour: they have progressed from each of their last four World Cup semi-finals — and kept a clean sheet in the last three.
France are chasing a third consecutive World Cup final. Only Germany and Brazil have ever managed that.
Spain: The Best Defence in the Tournament, and Two Goals Off the Bench
Spain’s route has been less spectacular but no less convincing. A goalless draw with Cape Verde to open, then 4-0 against Saudi Arabia and 1-0 against Uruguay to top Group H. Austria were beaten 3-0 in the round of 32. Portugal held out until the 90th minute in the last 16 before Merino struck. Belgium held out until the 88th in the quarter-final — Merino again.
649 Minutes: The Longest Clean-Sheet Run in World Cup History
Before Charles De Ketelaere’s header for Belgium, Spain had gone 649 minutes without conceding — the longest such run in World Cup history. It also ended Unai Simón’s streak of six consecutive World Cup clean sheets.
One goal conceded in six matches. No team at this tournament has defended better.
Merino: A World Cup First
Mikel Merino has done something nobody in World Cup history had done before: come off the bench to score the winner in two knockout ties. The 90th minute against Portugal, then the 88th against Belgium.
It leaves Luis de la Fuente with an awkward luxury. Does Merino start? And if he does, is he still the game-changer?
36 Unbeaten: A National Record
Spain are on a 36-match unbeaten run — the longest in their history (W27 D9). Their last defeat was a 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia in March 2024.
Since the 2018 World Cup, Spain have lost just one of 27 major-tournament matches, are unbeaten in their last 14, and have kept nine clean sheets in that run.
This is only their second World Cup semi-final. The first was 2010 — when they went on to win it.
The Tactical Battleground: Control of Midfield
This is a clean clash of philosophies.
Spain want the ball. Rodri sets the tempo from the base, Pedri drifts between the lines, Dani Olmo runs beyond, Lamine Yamal holds the width on the right, and Álex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal rotate through the middle. For Spain, possession is a defensive tool — if France don’t have the ball, they can’t hurt you. Win the middle third and Spain can suffocate this game.
France are built for less of the ball. Deschamps’ side lives comfortably without possession and punishes the instant it’s won back. The pace of Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise is a nightmare for any back line.
The Deciding Variable: Tchouaméni’s Fitness
Aurélien Tchouaméni has missed France’s last two matches with a thigh problem and remains a game-time decision.
He is the tactical pivot of this tie. Tchouaméni is France’s best ball-winner and their screen in front of the defence. If he can’t play — or can’t play at full tilt — France’s ability to disrupt Rodri and Pedri drops sharply, and that is precisely the version of the match Spain want. Manu Koné has deputised well, but they are different players.
Yamal: The Sleeping Genius
Lamine Yamal has one goal at this World Cup, in the group stage against Saudi Arabia, and no goal contributions since. He arrived carrying an injury and his rhythm has returned slowly — but he has looked sharper with each appearance.
For France, that is ominous. Two years ago in the Euro 2024 semi-final, it was Yamal’s strike that ended their tournament.
Team News
| Team | Status |
|---|---|
| France | Tchouaméni (thigh — game-time decision), Marcus Thuram (calf — game-time decision), Koné (knee, taken off as a precaution, available). Mbappé took a knock against Morocco but is fine. No suspensions — yellow cards were wiped before the semi-finals. |
| Spain | No starter flagged on the injury list. Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino are fit again and available from the bench. Víctor Muñoz has missed the entire tournament. No suspensions. |
France vs Spain Predicted Lineups
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Rabiot, Tchouaméni; Dembélé, Olise, Doué; Mbappé
Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simón; Pedro Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri, Dani Olmo; Yamal, Oyarzabal, Baena
Spain’s bench carries Merino, Ferran Torres and Nico Williams — all capable of turning a tie. France have Barcola and Cherki in reserve.
Set-piece note: France’s corner and free-kick takers are Olise (19) and Dembélé (16). Spain’s are Baena (23), Yamal (12) and Pedri (8).
Head-to-Head: Spain Hold the Psychological Edge
| Competition | Result |
|---|---|
| Nations League 2025 semi-final | Spain 5-4 France |
| Euro 2024 semi-final | Spain 2-1 France |
| Nations League 2021 final | France 2-1 Spain |
| World Cup 2006 last 16 | France 3-1 Spain |
Spain have won seven of the last 10 meetings. The two most recent are the ones that sting: Yamal and Dani Olmo knocked France out of Euro 2024 at the semi-final stage, and Spain went on to win it; then came a nine-goal Nations League classic in 2025 that Spain took 5-4, Yamal scoring twice and Merino also on the scoresheet.
At the World Cup, though, they have met only once — the 2006 last 16, when Ribéry, Vieira and Zidane turned it around for a 3-1 French win.
This will be the third consecutive major tournament in which these two meet at the semi-final stage.
France vs Spain Score Prediction
Three judgements:
- This won’t be a blowout. Recent meetings follow the same shape — tight, high-quality, decided by one goal. France have conceded two all tournament, Spain one. Both defences are elite.
- Extra time is a live possibility. Opta’s model puts the chance of the tie going beyond 90 minutes at roughly 26%.
- Tchouaméni tips the balance. Fit and starting, France can cut the supply line between Rodri and Pedri and finish it on the counter through Mbappé. Absent, Spain’s midfield control will gradually squeeze the life out of the game.
Score prediction: France 1-1 Spain in normal time, with extra time or penalties to settle it. If forced to call the 90 minutes, Opta gives France 42.1%, Spain 31.8% and extra time 26.1% — France narrowly ahead, but this is the hardest match of the tournament to call.
How to Watch France vs Spain
- US broadcast: Fox Sports, Telemundo, Peacock
- UK: ITV
- Kickoff: Tuesday, July 14, 3:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM BST
- Replays: Full match replays and highlights available after the final whistle
Please watch through official, licensed broadcasters.
FAQs
What time is France vs Spain? Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET (8:00 PM BST) at AT&T Stadium, Dallas.
Where can I watch France vs Spain? Fox Sports, Telemundo and Peacock in the United States; ITV in the United Kingdom.
Who is favourite to win France vs Spain? The Opta supercomputer’s 25,000 simulations give France a 57.7% chance of reaching the final and Spain 42.3%. Recent history tells a different story, though: Spain have won seven of the last 10 meetings.
Who does the winner play in the final? The winner faces England or Argentina in the final on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey.
Have France and Spain met at a World Cup before? Once. France beat Spain 3-1 in the round of 16 in 2006.
This article will be updated with the full result and match report immediately after the final whistle. Data source: Opta Analyst.
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