How The World Cup Semifinals Stack Up: France-Spain, England-Argentina

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 11: Jude Bellingham #10 of England celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Norway and England at Miami Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

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The world will get a World Cup final four that it deserves.

The four semifinalists are positioned one, two, three, and four, in the latest FIFA ranking:

1. France (6-0-0)

2. Argentina (6-0-0)

3. Spain (5-0-1)

4. England (5-0-1)

They have combined for an incredible 22W-0L-2D record. The only blemishes were Spain's scoreless Group H draw with upstart minnows Cape Verde, and England's 0-0 tie with Ghana in Group L.

That will result in a pair of spectacular semifinal confrontations that will determine the finalists for the world championship at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on Sunday, July 19.

All four semifinalists have taken victory laps with the FIFA World Cup trophy. Argentina leads the way with three (1978, 1986, 2018), followed by France with two (1998, 2018) and Spain (2010) and England (1966) with one apiece.

On Tuesday, France takes on Spain in Arlington, Texas, while England faces Argentina in Atlanta, Ga. on Wednesday.

This writer has recorded a 21-7 mark predicting knockout-rounds matches.

Here is a look at both semifinals (both games on FOX, Telemundo), with the latest FIFA rankings through Sunday morning:

Tuesday, July 14

No. 1 France vs. No. 3 Spain, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, 3 p.m. ET

On paper, this looks like one juicy match-up. It will pit the 2024 European champion Spaniards, who have a 36-game unbeaten streak, against the French, favored by many to reach their third consecutive World Cup final. The last time Spain suffered a defeat in a competitive match was a 2-0 loss to Scotland during 2024 qualifying in March 2023. France is vying for its third World Cup title, having won in 1998 and 2018, while Spain captured the 2010 crown.

This encounter is a rematch of two semifinals. In the 2024 Euro final in Germany, Spain prevailed, 2-1. Randal Kolo Muani gave the French a ninth-minute edge, but the Spaniards roared back behind goals by Yamine Lamal, who turns 19 on Monday, and Daniel Olmo, only four minutes apart. In the 2025 Euro Nations League semis, Spain grabbed a 4-1 second-half lead before holding off a late rally by France to survive a wild, 5-4 triumph in Stuttgart, Germany. Portugal went on to win the Nations League crown, winning the Iberian Derby on penalty kicks. However, according to FIFA rules, the result went into the record books as a draw for both teams.

The Spaniards, coached by Luis de la Fuente, haven’t looked like the dominant force many observers predicted, especially for a team that boasts a long unbeaten streak. They went 2-0-1 in the group stage, tying surprising minnow Cape Verde, 0-0, before rolling past Saudi Arabia, 4-0, and edging Uruguay, 1-0. Spain then got by the skin of its teeth in the knockout round, on two late goals by substitute Mikel Merino in a 1-0 win over Portugal (Round of 32) and a 2-1 triumph over Belgium (Round of 16). Mikel Oyarzabal leads the team with four goals.

Lamal has looked a bit off his game and sometimes appears he hasn't recovered from the hamstring he was nursing entering the tournament.

Spain's fortunes have been bolstered by a stingy defense and a backline anchored by center backs Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi, which did not surrender a goal for 600 minutes in this competition, until Belgium's Charles De Ketelaere solved goalkeeper Unai Simon in the Round of 16.

The French have been the best team in the competition. They play the game the way it should be played, with passion, precision and joy. They show emotion after scoring but they rarely get rankled.

They look unstoppable. They are 6-0-0 entering the game, while outscoring their opposition, 16-2. France romped through Group I, dispatching Senegal, 3-1, and Iraq, 3-0, before trouncing Norway, 4-1. It should be noted that striker Erling Haaland was rested by the Norwegians. Les Bleus overcame Paraguay, which tried some dirty tactics in an attempt to get a violent reaction from their foes, in a 1-0 win in the Round of 32. They then dominated Morocco in a 2-0 result in the Round of 16. The final score did not do the French justice.

The opposition may be able to slow down the great Kylian Mbappe, but they can't stop him. He has scored eight goals for an astounding career total of 20 in as many World Cup appearances. It certainly doesn't hurt that he has some talented teammates to complement him in Ousmane Dembele (five goals) and Michael Olise. Olise might not receive the headlines and adulation that is thrown at his two teammates, but the midfielder is the man who pulls the string of the attack (World Cup-leading five assists).

It is difficult to figure out a weakness on coach Didier Deschamps' team. Perhaps defense doesn't rate as highly as their attack for obvious reasons. But if the French continue to score first, put foes on their back heels to chase the game and continue to counterattack with Mbappe and company, the team will be difficult to stop.

Prediction: France 2, Spain 1

Wednesday, July 15

No. 2 Argentina vs. No. 4 England, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga., 3 p.m. ET

The second semifinal features arguably one of the best, if not the best, World Cup rivalries. England holds a 3-2 series lead, but the three most intriguing confrontations came in the last three times these teams have met.

In 1986, Argentines downed England in the quarterfinals at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, on a pair of historic Diego Maradona goals. The first was his Hand of God goal and the second was his fabulous 60-yard run through the England defense. In 1998, Argentina defeated England on penalty kicks, after David Beckham's ill-advised red card forced the English to play with 10 men over the final 73 minutes. And in 2002, Beckham got his revenge by converting the lone goal, a penalty kick, to lift England to a 1-0 win. Defender Mauricio Pochettino, the future coach of the U.S. men's national team, fouled Michael Owen in the box to set up the spot kick.

Both teams need to recover from their respective grueling 120-minute quarterfinal marathons on Saturday night. The game could be determined as to which team is fitter.

Coached by Lionel Scaloni, La Albiceleste has been living dangerously in the knockout round. After a marvelous Group J run in which it cruised to three victories and outscored its opposition 8-1, the Argentines have struggled since then. They avoided a penalty-kick shootout to defeat Cape Verde on an extra-time own goal in a wild Round of 32 encounter. They barely got past Egypt, 3-2, in the Round of 16, on Enzo Fernandez's stoppage-time tally. They followed that up with a 3-1 extra-time triumph over 10-man Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Late goals by Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martínez saved the South Americans from the dreaded penalty kicks.

Lionel Messi has scored eight goals in this tournament and a record 21 in 32 career appearances. He set up the first goal against the Swiss but had his cup scoring streak snapped at a record nine games. Given that he just turned 39, is he starting to show his age? Or perhaps he has been setting us up for a spectacular finish.

Much like Argentina, England is coming off a pair of energy-consuming wins. The Three Lions survived a 3-2 victory over Mexico in the cauldron of Estadio Azteca and the high altitude of Mexico City in the Round of 16. Midfielder Jude Bellingham scored twice within 98 seconds to turn that game around. He followed that up with another brace in a 2-1 extra-time win over Norway and Haaland in the quarterfinals in the ridiculous heat and humidity in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Saturday.

England boasts a unique one-two scoring punch as it has two players with six goals apiece, a World Cup rarity - striker Harry Kane and Bellingham. They have registered 12 of England's 13 goals. It's easy to deny one player, much more difficult to stop two. Marcus Rashford has the other goal.

Coached by the demanding Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions have reached their fourth semifinal and cannot let this opportunity slip through their hands, or feet.

Prediction: England 3, Argentina 2

Michael Lewis, the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award in 2025, can be followed on Bluesky at @Soccerwriter. His 10th soccer book, Around the World Cup in 40 Years: An American sportswriter’s perspective, has been published.