TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 2026 World Cup tournament has entered the semifinal stage. The four remaining teams are all former world champions, namely France, Spain, England, and Argentina.
The semifinals will take place over two days. France will face Spain on early Wednesday, July 15, 2026, while England will meet defending champion Argentina a day later. The two winning teams will advance to the final of the World Cup 2026. Meanwhile, the two losing teams will compete for the third-place position.
Schedule of the 2026 World Cup Semifinals
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
02:00 WIB (Western Indonesian Time): France vs Spain
Thursday, July 16, 2026
02:00 WIB: England vs Argentina
Here are the profiles of the four 2026 World Cup semifinalists based on FIFA data.
1. France
France, the world champion in 1998 and 2018, is the only semifinalist to have won all six matches without needing extra time. Under the guidance of Didier Deschamps, the team scored 16 goals and conceded only twice, including keeping a clean sheet in all three knockout stage matches.
Les Bleus advanced to the semifinals after defeating Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0, and Norway 4-1 in the group stage, then eliminating Sweden 3-0, Paraguay 1-0, and Morocco 2-0 in the knockout stage.
Kylian Mbappe stood out with eight goals and three assists. Together with Ousmane Dembele, who scored five goals, they became the first duo since Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002 to both score at least five goals in a single World Cup edition.
France now has the opportunity to reach the World Cup final for the third consecutive time after winning the title in 2018 and finishing as runners-up in 2022. Previously, only West Germany and Brazil had reached three consecutive finals.
Despite their dominant performance, the narrow victory over Paraguay showed that France may still struggle against opponents who play a very tight defensive game.
2. Spain
The 2010 world champion has returned to the semifinals for the first time since winning the title in South Africa. Under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente, the team recovered after being held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde in the opening match and went on to win the following five matches.
Spain progressed through the group stage with a draw against Cape Verde (0-0), followed by victories over Saudi Arabia (4-0) and Uruguay (1-0). In the knockout stage, La Roja defeated Austria (3-0), Portugal (1-0), and Belgium (2-1).
Spain's main strength lies in their defense. They have only conceded one goal throughout the tournament. Their dominant ball possession also makes it difficult for opponents to create scoring opportunities.
Mikel Oyarzabal is the team's top goal scorer with four goals and one assist. Meanwhile, Mikel Merino has made a difference coming off the bench by scoring the winning goal against Portugal and Belgium.
However, their finishing effectiveness remains a point of concern. Spain has on several occasions won by a one-goal margin despite dominating the game.
3. England
England has reached the World Cup semifinals for the fourth time, following their appearances in 1966, 1990, and 2018. Under the guidance of Thomas Tuchel, the team is keeping their hopes alive to end a 60-year wait for the world title.
The Three Lions advanced from Group L after defeating Croatia 4-2, drawing goalless against Ghana, and winning 2-0 against Panama. They then eliminated DR Congo 2-1, Mexico 3-2, and Norway 2-1 after extra time.
Jude Bellingham is the most productive player with six goals, the same number as Harry Kane. The two of them contributed 12 out of England's total 13 goals throughout the tournament.
Mental strength is one of England's assets. They have been able to turn the tide against DR Congo and Norway, and maintain their lead against Mexico despite playing with 10 men since the 54th minute.
On the other hand, the consistency of their performance is still a concern. England has conceded six goals and given opponents several opportunities to get back into the game.
4. Argentina
Defending champion Argentina is just two wins away from retaining the World Cup title, something that Brazil last achieved in 1958 and 1962.
Under the guidance of Lionel Scaloni, the team has won all their matches so far. They defeated Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0, and Jordan 3-1 in the group stage, then eliminated Cape Verde 3-2, Egypt 3-2, and Switzerland 3-1. The last two victories were achieved in extra time.
Lionel Messi remains the focal point of Albiceleste in his sixth World Cup appearance. The 39-year-old forward has scored eight goals, the same number as Mbappe at the top of the temporary goal scorers' list.
Argentina is also the most prolific team among the four semifinalists with a total of 17 goals. They have shown championship mentality by coming from a 0-2 deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16.
However, their defensive line is still a work in progress. Argentina conceded five goals in three knockout stage matches and had to play two matches in extra time. This situation indicates that the defending champion can still be pressed by opponents who can attack quickly and penetrate early pressure.
Read: Thomas Tuchel: England Ready for Argentina in World Cup Semifinal
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