The Final Four! World Cup Semis Are Set — and It’s Never Happened Before
Quick Summary
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is down to its last four teams. France, Spain, England, and Argentina will battle it out this week. For the very first time in World Cup history, the four best-ranked teams in the world all made it to the semifinals.
What Happened?
The quarterfinals are over, and four incredible teams are still standing.
France knocked out Morocco. Spain edged past Belgium with a late goal from substitute Mikel Merino. Those two European giants will face each other on Tuesday, July 14, in Dallas, Texas.
On the other side of the bracket, England beat Norway 2-1 in extra time. Star midfielder Jude Bellingham scored both of England’s goals — including the winner with just three minutes left in extra time. That is like scoring the winning basket with two seconds on the clock!
Defending champion Argentina then beat Switzerland 3-1, also in extra time. Julian Álvarez scored the winning goal deep into the extra 30 minutes. Argentina and England will play Wednesday, July 15, in Atlanta, Georgia.
The two semifinal winners meet in the final on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Why Does It Matter?
This is a historic moment in soccer. The World Cup rankings system started in 1992. In all that time, the four highest-ranked teams had never all reached the semifinals — until now.
France and Spain have not lost a single match at this tournament. England and Argentina both survived nail-biting extra-time battles just to get here.
The star power is off the charts. Argentina’s Lionel Messi has 8 goals in 6 matches. France’s Kylian Mbappé also has 8 goals. England’s Jude Bellingham has 6. It is a Golden Boot race as exciting as any in World Cup history.
Argentina is trying to win back-to-back World Cups. England has not won the World Cup since 1966 — 60 years ago! France last won in 2018. Spain won back in 2010.
Only two more wins stand between these teams and soccer immortality.
Big Words
- Semifinals — The final four matches in a tournament; the winners go to the championship final.
- Extra time — Two bonus periods of 15 minutes each played when a match is tied after 90 minutes.
- FIFA rankings — A numbered list that scores every national soccer team in the world based on how well they have played.
- Defending champion — The team that won the tournament the last time it was held.
- Golden Boot — The award given to the player who scores the most goals in a World Cup tournament.
Fun Fact
England and Argentina have met seven times at the World Cup before this. Their matches include some of the most famous moments in soccer history — including Diego Maradona’s legendary goals in 1986!
Think About It
If you could pick any one player from any of the four semifinal teams to score the World Cup-winning goal, who would you choose — and why?
Sources
- Fox Sports — 2026 World Cup Bracket: Historic Semifinal Matchups Set
- Al Jazeera — Which teams are in the World Cup semifinals, and what’s the match schedule?
- Yahoo Sports — World Cup semifinals bracket: Full schedule, matchups and path to the final