Spain Dominates France 2-0 in Semifinal, Books Spot in World Cup Final
La Roja advances to their second World Cup Final, setting up a clash against the winner of today's England-Argentina showdown.
The story
Spain delivered a commanding performance to defeat France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute after a skillful play by teenager Lamine Yamal drew a foul from Lucas Digne.
Spain doubled their lead in the 58th minute when Pedro Porro finished clinically after a superb one-two with Dani Olmo. Despite France's attacking prowess, including Golden Boot contender Kylian Mbappé, Spain's defense remained resolute, with goalkeeper Unai Simon maintaining a clean sheet. The victory sends Spain to their first World Cup Final since winning the tournament in 2010, leaving France to compete in the third-place match.
Yesterday's results
| Match | Score | Key |
|---|---|---|
| France vs Spain | 0-2 | Mikel Oyarzabal (22' pen), Pedro Porro (58') |
Where it stands
Spain has officially secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final after their impressive 2-0 victory over France. They will now await the outcome of the second semifinal to determine their opponent.
France, having been eliminated, will compete in the third-place playoff match. The tournament's knockout bracket continues to firm up as teams vie for the ultimate prize, with only two matches remaining after today's semifinal to decide the finalists and the bronze medalist.
Off the pitch
| Player | From | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Greenwood | Marseille | Fenerbahçe | €39 million |
| Leandro Trossard | Arsenal | Besiktas | Undisclosed |
What we'll be watching
- England vs Argentina (Semifinal) - July 15, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Third Place Playoff (France vs Semifinal 2 Loser) - July 18, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
- FIFA World Cup Final (Spain vs Semifinal 2 Winner) - July 19, MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.