The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set for its semifinal stage, featuring two highly anticipated European showdowns. France will face Spain, and England will play Argentina for a spot in the final.
France's path to the semifinals included a dominant group stage performance where they outscored opponents 10-2. They secured victories against Sweden (3-0) in the round of 32, edged Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16, and defeated Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Kylian Mbappé leads France's scoring with eight goals, tied for the tournament lead, while Michael Olise has contributed five assists.
Spain enters the semifinal with an undefeated record and a formidable defense, having not conceded a goal throughout the tournament prior to their quarterfinal match. They won Group H with three clean sheets and continued their defensive prowess with shutouts against Austria (3-0) and Portugal (1-0) in the knockout rounds. Their quarterfinal match saw them narrowly defeat Belgium 2-1.
In the other semifinal, England, the winners of Group L, will meet Argentina. England advanced by defeating DR Congo 2-1, outlasting Mexico 3-2 in a high-scoring round of 16 match, and requiring extra time to overcome Norway 2-1 in the quarterfinals, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice. Harry Kane and Bellingham are both among the tournament's top scorers with six goals each.
Argentina, who swept Group J, has also had a challenging route to the semifinals. They survived a close match against Cape Verde in extra time, rallied to beat Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16, and won in extra time against Switzerland 3-1 in the quarterfinals. Lionel Messi has set a new World Cup record for assists during Argentina's run.
All semifinal matches will be broadcast on FOX and FS1, with live streaming and on-demand access available on FOX One.