The 2026 World Cup has entered its final week, with France, Spain, England and Argentina making up the last four. France vs Spain opens the semifinal round, while England face defending champions Argentina in the other half of the bracket.
Quarterfinal wrap
Spain beat Belgium 2-1 on July 10, with substitute Mikel Merino again providing the decisive late touch. Belgium had pulled level, but Spain found the winner before extra time.
Both July 11 quarterfinals went beyond 90 minutes. England came from behind to beat Norway 2-1 after extra time behind two Jude Bellingham goals, while Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 after extra time. Julian Alvarez broke the deadlock in the 112th minute before Lautaro Martinez sealed Argentina's place in the semifinals.
Semifinal schedule
| Date | Match | Venue | Status | |------|-------|-------|--------| | July 14 | France vs Spain | Dallas Stadium | First semifinal | | July 15 | England vs Argentina | Atlanta Stadium | Second semifinal |
Accessible schedule and live-update sources indicate that the France-Spain winner will reach the July 19 final at New York New Jersey Stadium and await the winner of England vs Argentina.
What to watch
France and Spain both reached the semifinals unbeaten. France have leaned on the attacking threat of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, while Spain have combined defensive control with Merino's late-game impact.
England vs Argentina brings another heavyweight storyline. Bellingham has scored in consecutive knockout rounds, and Argentina have shown resilience through demanding ties against Egypt and Switzerland. With four former World Cup champions in the semifinals, the tournament is now into its decisive stretch.
Sources: AP France vs Spain semifinal updates, AP England 2-1 Norway, AP Argentina 3-1 Switzerland, FourFourTwo scores and fixtures