Web Desk: France and Spain will battle for a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Tuesday, with two of international football’s strongest sides meeting in the tournament’s opening semi-final.
Kick-off is scheduled for 12 am Pakistan Standard Time on Wednesday. The winner will advance to the World Cup final, while the loser will move into the third-place playoff.
Spain enter the contest unbeaten and boasting one of the tournament’s strongest defensive records. The 2010 world champions have conceded just one goal throughout the competition and are aiming to lift the World Cup trophy for the second time.
Their only blemish so far came in the group stage, when they were held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde. Since then, Spain have produced a series of disciplined performances to reach the last four.
Meanwhile, France will test that defensive resilience with an attack led by tournament top scorer Kylian Mbappe, who remains central to the 2018 champions’ hopes of returning to another World Cup final.
France are seeking a third consecutive appearance in the World Cup final after finishing runners-up four years ago. However, Spain have enjoyed the upper hand in recent meetings, defeating the French in the UEFA Euro 2024 and UEFA Nations League semi-finals.
Spain’s challenge will again revolve around teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, while Mbappe is expected to spearhead France’s attack in a clash widely viewed as one of the tournament’s marquee fixtures.
Attention will then shift to the second semi-final on Wednesday, when defending champions Argentina take on England for the remaining place in the final. The match is also scheduled to begin at 12 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time on Thursday.
The winners of the two semi-finals will meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on July 19 at New York/New Jersey Stadium, where football’s biggest prize will be decided.
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