The World Cup semifinals are officially locked in. Four global football heavyweights survived the quarterfinal gauntlet, setting up a final four of France, Spain, Argentina, and England.
The remaining fixtures set up a European clash on one side and a transatlantic rivalry on the other. France is scheduled to face Spain on July 14 at Dallas Stadium in Texas. A day later, England takes on Argentina on July 15 at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, reviving one of the sport’s most intense international matchups.
Getting here required tight victories across the board. France secured their spot by eliminating Morocco 2-0, riding goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. That win pushed the defending European powers through, according to live reporting by The Guardian. Spain joined them after a late 88th-minute strike by Mikel Merino put away Belgium 2-1.
On the other side of the World Cup bracket progression, Argentina required extra time to overpower Switzerland 3-1. England narrowly edged past Norway 2-1 thanks to a crucial brace from midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Beyond the team stakes, an individual race is tightening ahead of the Dallas and Atlanta fixtures. Mbappé’s penalty against Morocco propelled him to eight goals for the tournament, matching Argentina’s Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race. That sets the stage for a direct statistical rivalry as the final matches approach.