World Cup will have historic semi-finals with four champions

The 2026 World Cup has reached the final stretch with four world champions still in contention for the title. France, Spain, England and Argentina guaranteed their presence in the semi-finals of the first edition of the tournament with 48 teams.

The clashes will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. France and Spain open the decisive phase at 4 pm on Tuesday, in Dallas. The next day, also at 4pm, England and Argentina enter the field in Atlanta.

The decision is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at 4 pm in New Jersey. Before that, the teams defeated in the semifinals will compete for third place on Saturday, 18th, at 6pm.

Semi-final games

Tuesday, July 14th 4pm: France vs Spain

Wednesday, July 15th 4pm: England v Argentina

Fight for third place

Saturday, July 18th 6pm: loser of France x Spain versus loser of England x Argentina

Final

Sunday, July 19th 4pm: semi-final winners

This will be only the third time in history that a World Cup will have four world champion teams among the semifinalists. The last occurrence was in 1990, in Italy. Before that, the same had happened in 1970, in Mexico.

The 2026 World Cup also records an unprecedented feat: the top four in the FIFA rankings reached the semi-finals.

France and Spain will repeat a recent and eventful clash. The two teams faced each other in the semi-final of the 2025 UEFA Nations League, when the Spanish won 5-4. On that occasion, Spain led 5-1, but saw the French react in the final minutes.

On the other side of the bracket, England and Argentina will once again play a historic rivalry. The first meeting between the two teams in World Cups took place in 1962, when the English won 3-1 in the group stage.

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