Spain await England or Argentina after reaching World Cup final
Spain beat France 2-0 to reach the 2026 World Cup final, with England and Argentina set to play the remaining semifinal in Atlanta.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Spain are in the 2026 World Cup final after a 2-0 semifinal win over France, leaving England and Argentina to decide the other place in the championship match. Al Jazeera and The Associated Press reported that Spain will play the winner on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
England face Argentina on Wednesday, July 15, at 19:00 GMT at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, according to Al Jazeera. The loser will meet France in the third-place match on Saturday, July 18, at 22:00 GMT at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Spain return to the final
Al Jazeera reported that Spain reached the World Cup final for the first time since 2010 by shutting out France at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The result gave Spain their sixth clean sheet of the tournament, according to the report.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute after Lamine Yamal was fouled in the area, Al Jazeera reported. Pedro Porro made it 2-0 in the 58th minute after a move involving Dani Olmo.
France entered the semifinal unbeaten in six matches and had scored 16 goals in the tournament, according to Al Jazeera. The defeat ended France’s attempt to reach a third straight World Cup final, though the team still has the third-place game to play.
Kylian Mbappe said after the match that France fell short in both its execution and its tactical plan, according to Al Jazeera. “We didn’t play the game we wanted, technically or tactically,” Mbappe said. “When you don’t do what you have to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don’t win.”
England-Argentina is close on paper
Opta’s supercomputer gives England a narrow edge over Argentina, with England advancing in 51.9 percent of its simulations, according to Al Jazeera. The match renews one of international football’s best-known rivalries with a place in the final at stake.
Al Jazeera reported that England captain Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have each scored six goals at this World Cup. According to the report, it is the first time two players from the same country have reached that total in a single World Cup.
Argentina have scored 17 goals, the most of any team at the 2026 tournament, Al Jazeera reported. Lionel Messi leads Argentina with eight goals and is described by Al Jazeera as the Golden Boot frontrunner; one more team goal would match Argentina’s record for goals in one World Cup campaign.
Yamal’s role and the closing ceremony
Al Jazeera reported that Yamal, who turned 19 one day before the France match, helped shape the semifinal by forcing the penalty that Oyarzabal converted. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised his team’s reading of the match after the win, saying: “This team interprets every play of the game perfectly.”
FIFA announced Tuesday that the World Cup closing ceremony will take place 90 minutes before Sunday’s final, according to Al Jazeera and The Associated Press. FIFA said the event will mark the 48-team tournament’s run through 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
According to FIFA’s announcement, the lineup includes Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and streamer IShowSpeed, while actor Tom Cruise is listed for a special appearance. Heimo Schirgi, the World Cup’s chief operating officer, said the ceremony will bring together music, culture and football before the final.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.