France rated strongest contender as World Cup semifinals loom

France have been rated the strongest remaining contender for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by Al Jazeera ahead of the semifinals. The assessment comes with the tournament down to the top four teams in FIFA’s rankings, who together have won eight previous World Cup titles.

Forty-eight teams began the competition on June 11, according to Al Jazeera, and only France, Spain, England and Argentina remain. The semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, with the winners advancing to the final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19.

France lead the ranking

Al Jazeera placed France first among the four contenders, citing their attacking depth and defensive record. Didier Deschamps’s side have conceded two goals in six matches after beating Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals, according to the outlet.

Kylian Mbappe scored again against Morocco, strengthening his case in the Golden Boot race and his pursuit of the all-time World Cup scoring record, Al Jazeera reported. The outlet also highlighted the threat posed by Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola.

France face Spain next, and Al Jazeera said that match should provide a tougher test for both the French defence and their forwards. The analysis also noted that France have extra incentive after losing to Spain in the Euro 2024 and Nations League semifinals.

Spain second after record defensive run

Spain were ranked second by Al Jazeera, which pointed to their defensive strength. Belgium’s quarterfinal goal ended a 649-minute run without conceding, described by the outlet as the longest such streak in World Cup history.

Spain have allowed seven shots on target across six matches, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet said Lamine Yamal has shown signs of returning to form after a hamstring injury in April, while Mikel Merino has scored late winners against Portugal and Belgium.

Al Jazeera also raised concerns about Spain’s attack, noting that leading scorer Mikel Oyarzabal, who has four goals, has been quieter in recent matches. The outlet said teenage defender Pau Cubarsi has impressed but has yet to face an attack like France’s.

England backed to beat Argentina

England were ranked third, with Al Jazeera saying Thomas Tuchel’s team have reached the semifinals without producing their best football. The outlet said Tuchel admitted England were fortunate to beat Norway, with Jude Bellingham again central to the result.

Bellingham has six goals, two fewer than Lionel Messi and Mbappe, according to Al Jazeera. England have also beaten Croatia, Mexico and DR Congo during the tournament, but the outlet said they have relied more on resilience and counterattacking spells than sustained control.

Al Jazeera said England may benefit from returning to Atlanta’s climate-controlled stadium after playing in Mexico City and Miami. The outlet also noted that Jarell Quansah remains suspended for one more match, Reece James played against Norway, and Declan Rice is trying to recover after illness.

Argentina cast as the outsider

Al Jazeera ranked defending champions Argentina fourth, despite their status as three-time World Cup winners. The outlet said Argentina’s route through Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland was relatively kind, and that their performances have often been tense.

Argentina beat Switzerland after 120 minutes in hot conditions, according to Al Jazeera, after going nearly 90 minutes without a shot on target following Alexis Mac Allister’s early goal. The outlet said Argentina also had difficult knockout matches against Cape Verde and Egypt.

Al Jazeera said Argentina would gain confidence if Messi and his teammates beat England, but added that their form so far gives little reason to expect them to win the tournament. The outlet said France remain the team best placed to lift the trophy.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.