2026 FIFA World Cup Semifinal Schedule and Results
The 2026 World Cup has reached its final stretch, with just four teams left competing for the title. This tournament, the largest ever with 48 teams across North America, has seen fierce battles over the past weeks. Now, the spotlight turns to these remaining squads as they prepare for the semifinal clashes.
Semifinal Schedule
- Tuesday, July 14: France vs. Spain
- Wednesday, July 15: England vs. Argentina
Semifinal Matchups
Two matches will determine who advances to the final on July 19. The teams defeated in the semifinals will meet in the third-place playoff on July 18.
The first semifinal features:
- France (Group I winner; eliminated Sweden, Paraguay, Morocco)
- Spain (Group H winner; eliminated Austria, Portugal, Belgium)
The second semifinal pits:
- England (Group L winner; eliminated DR Congo, Mexico, Norway)
- Argentina (Group J winner; eliminated Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland)
Quarterfinal Recap
The semifinal stage is straightforward: two matches decide which teams reach the final showdown. The winners face off on Sunday, July 19. These teams have endured more games than ever before due to the expanded format—three group matches followed by three knockout rounds.
Resolving Ties in Knockout Matches
If a match is level after 90 minutes, it goes into extra time consisting of two 15-minute halves plus stoppage time. Neither period ends early if a goal is scored, so the full 30 minutes are played. If still tied, the game moves to penalty shootouts where each side selects five players. If tied after those, sudden death rounds continue until one team prevails.
Path to the Semifinals
The tournament started with 48 teams split into 12 groups of four. Each team played three matches within their group. The top two from each group advanced, alongside the eight best third-place teams, forming a 32-team knockout bracket.
This single-elimination phase requires teams to win five consecutive matches to claim the World Cup trophy. Losing teams exit the tournament, while winners move forward until only one remains.
