FULL TIME (July 14): Spain 2-0 France. La Roja's defense held Mbappé scoreless and Spain advance to Sunday's final against Argentina (per NPR/ESPN). Match guide below stands as the recap.
Live Updates (newest first)
Two days out: France are settled after the 2-0 win over Morocco, while Spain arrive unbeaten with zero goals conceded in five games. Mbappé leads the Golden Boot race — team news and lineups expected Monday.
France vs Spain in the 2026 World Cup semifinal kicks off Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local time) at Dallas Stadium — the tournament's name for AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In the US, the game airs on FOX, streaming on the FOX One app, with Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo and Peacock. On paper it's a semifinal. In reality, it's the matchup most fans penciled in as the true final: the reigning European champions against back-to-back World Cup finalists, with a July 19 date at MetLife Stadium on the line.
What Time Is France vs Spain? TV and Streaming
- Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
- Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT / 12 p.m. PT (9 p.m. in Paris and Madrid)
- Venue: Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium), Arlington, Texas — 80,000 seats, hosting its ninth match of the tournament
- TV (English): FOX — streaming on the FOX One app
- TV (Spanish): Telemundo — streaming on Peacock
How France Got Here: Mbappé Is on Fire
France beat Morocco 2-0 in Thursday's quarterfinal outside Boston, and the story was once again Kylian Mbappé. The captain missed a first-half penalty, then answered the only way he knows how — curling in his eighth goal of the tournament on 60 minutes past Yassine Bounou before setting up Ousmane Dembélé to finish the job six minutes later. Les Bleus have now won six straight at this World Cup and conceded just once.
Those eight goals put Mbappé level with Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring race — and ahead on the assists tiebreaker with three, per FOX Sports. Erling Haaland (7) and Harry Kane (6) are chasing. Follow the race daily in our Golden Boot tracker.
How Spain Got Here: Merino's Late Dagger and a Wall of a Defense
Spain needed drama to get past Belgium 2-1 on Friday. Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring, Charles De Ketelaere equalized, and then substitute Mikel Merino won it in the 88th minute — less than two minutes after coming on — pouncing on a rebound that Belgium's backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens spilled from Pau Cubarsí's shot.
That De Ketelaere goal was the only one Spain have conceded all tournament, after five straight clean sheets to start. La Roja arrive in Dallas with no major injury concerns, and Lamine Yamal — who entered the World Cup coming off an injury — has looked sharper with every match.
France vs Spain Head-to-Head: A Rivalry of Finals and Semifinals
These two have met 36 times, and lately the stakes are always maximal:
- Euro 2024 semifinal: Spain won 2-1 behind a stunning Lamine Yamal strike and Dani Olmo's winner — then lifted the trophy.
- 2025 Nations League semifinal: Spain outlasted France 5-4 in a nine-goal classic.
- 2021 Nations League final: France won 2-1, with Mbappé scoring the 80th-minute winner after Karim Benzema canceled out Mikel Oyarzabal's opener.
- Euro 1984 final: Michel Platini's France beat Spain in Paris for their first major title.
Spain have won the last two meetings that mattered. France have the last word in a final. Tuesday settles the current argument.
Who Is Favored? Predictions and Odds
The market leans French, but barely. Sportsbooks cited by CBS Sports and SportsLine list France at +135 on the 90-minute money line, with Spain at +220 and the draw at +210; France are around -144 to advance to the final, Spain +118. Per FOX Sports, France's title odds have shortened from +500 at kickoff of the tournament to roughly +150 — the clear favorite — with Spain in to about +310. SportsLine's soccer expert notes Mbappé is averaging a goal every 65 minutes this summer and has scored twice in three career meetings with Spain — but analysts broadly agree these teams are separated by fine margins, not class.
The Key Battle: Mbappé vs Spain's Defense
This is the matchup within the matchup: the tournament's most lethal attack against its stingiest defense. France's front three of Mbappé, reigning Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé (five goals, two assists) and Michael Olise has been devastating — Mbappé and Dembélé have created 19 chances for each other at this World Cup, per Sports Mole. Across from them, Spain's back line anchored by teenage phenom Cubarsí has surrendered one goal in six games. Mbappé took a knock against Morocco and had ice on his ankle afterward, but with five days' rest he is expected to start. Something has to give.
What the Winner Gets
The prize is a place in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (3 p.m. ET), against the winner of England vs Argentina, who play Wednesday in the other semifinal. For France, it would be a third final in a row after 2018 and 2022. For Spain, it's the chance to become the first nation since their own 2008-2012 golden era to hold the European and world titles at the same time. See the full bracket in our tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What time is France vs Spain?
Kickoff is Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local Central time) at Dallas Stadium — AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. That's 9 p.m. in both Paris and Madrid.
How to watch the France vs Spain semifinal?
In the US, the match airs on FOX in English, streaming on the FOX One app. Spanish-language coverage is on Telemundo, streaming on Peacock.
Who is favored, France or Spain?
France are slight favorites — +135 on the 90-minute money line vs Spain at +220 (draw +210), per odds cited by CBS Sports and SportsLine, and about -144 to reach the final. Most analysts call it close to a coin flip.
When is the World Cup final 2026?
Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at 3 p.m. ET. The France-Spain winner faces the England-Argentina winner from Wednesday's semifinal.
