Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 12
World Cup 2026 Sets Final 4 as France, Spain, England and Argentina Reach Semifinals
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 12

World Cup 2026 Sets Final 4 as France, Spain, England and Argentina Reach Semifinals

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 12

Summary

  • France, Spain, England and Argentina filled the World Cup 2026 semifinal bracket after quarterfinal wins, leaving the tournament down to 4 teams from an expanded 48-team field.
  • Tuesday's first semifinal pits France against Spain in Dallas at 19:00 GMT, followed by England against Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday at 19:00 GMT.
  • France beat Morocco 2-0, Spain edged Belgium 2-1, England defeated Norway 2-1, and Argentina needed extra time to overcome Switzerland 3-1.
  • Mbappe, Yamal, Kane, Bellingham and Messi headline the last four, with Messi on 8 goals in 6 matches and Bellingham on 6 after his quarterfinal brace.
  • Opta's latest model makes France the favorite, giving Les Bleus a 57.70% chance to reach the final and a 34.05% chance to win the July 19 title.

Insights

Has the new 48-team format and engineered draw made the World Cup's early stages irrelevant?
Did FIFA's quest for 'blockbuster games' kill the unpredictable magic of the World Cup?
With host cities bearing huge costs, who are the real winners of FIFA's record-breaking tournament?