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France and Spain Meet in 2026 World Cup Semifinal at AT&T Stadium
France and Spain, the top-ranked teams in the world, clash Tuesday in the opening semifinal of the 2026 World Cup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Spain has conceded one goal in the tournament while France features attackers Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.
Jul 14, 12:24 AM·1m read19 sources
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France and Spain meet Tuesday in the first semifinal of the 2026 World Cup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The match pits the two highest-ranked teams against each other. Spain enters the match with a defense that has allowed one goal across the tournament.
Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, told reporters he felt no fear facing France. "We are European champions. It’s simply football," he said. Yamal has scored one goal in the 2026 World Cup. He added that he bought a chunky jewel-encrusted necklace for his birthday and that a victory on Tuesday would be the best gift, followed by a trip to New York.
Spain’s players formed a guard of honour for him during training at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas on July 13. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said his team plans to impose its style and stay on the front foot. He noted that France have improved since Spain defeated them 5-4 in a UEFA Nations League semifinal in Stuttgart last year.
"We’re talking about two very different matches," de la Fuente said. He told his players to enjoy the semifinal. France head coach Didier Deschamps has maintained strong unity within the squad both on and off the pitch ahead of the match.
