Spain halt France’s World Cup bid with dominant semifinal victory
Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro secure Spain’s place in the 2026 World Cup final, ending France’s campaign and Kylian Mbappé’s tournament.
Spain defeated France 2-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. The victory secures the European champions’ place in the World Cup final, where they will face the winner of the England-Argentina semi-final. The final is scheduled to take place in New Jersey on Sunday.
Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro ensured the victory for Spain, who controlled the match through a commanding midfield performance led by Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, and Dani Olmo. The Spanish side overran the French midfield, preventing the tournament favourites from gaining a foothold in the contest despite their vaunted attacking lineup.
Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 20th minute after a penalty was awarded for a foul on Lamine Yamal. Porro doubled the lead in the 58th minute with a finish following a one-two pass with Olmo. The result marks the third consecutive victory for Spain’s manager Luis de la Fuente against France, having previously won in the 2024 European Championship and the 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinals.
The defeat ends the tournament for France, who had aimed to reach the final for the third consecutive time. It also concludes Kylian Mbappé’s campaign with eight goals, level with Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot. Mbappé received a yellow card in the 86th minute after a collision with Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon, symbolising the French team’s frustration as they were unable to penetrate Spain’s defence.
Spain, who were World Cup winners in 2010, will now await the outcome of the remaining semi-final to determine their opponent in New Jersey. The victory comes after a strong start to the tournament for Spain, contrasting with France’s earlier weather-disrupted match against Iraq.
