France v Spain prediction, lineups and tips: World Cup 2026 semi-final

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called it 'a final before the final' after his side edged Belgium 2-1 in Los Angeles last Friday, and it is hard to argue. The FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final between France and Spain in Dallas on Tuesday is the most anticipated fixture of this tournament, two pre-competition favourites, the two highest-ranked European sides, meeting in the last four with a place in Sunday's final at stake.

France have been the tournament's most clinical side. Didier Deschamps' men have won all six of their World Cup 2026 matches, scoring 13 goals at an average of 3.3 per game, conceding just twice. That included a 3-0 destruction of Sweden in the round of 32, a 1-0 away win over Paraguay in the last 16 and, most recently, a 2-0 defeat of Morocco that settled a quarter-final rematch from 2022. Deschamps attempted to deflect pressure before this game. "Spain are the favourites," he told reporters, a line that prompted little credulity given his own side's form but which illustrates the respect he holds for De la Fuente's squad.

Spain have their own momentum. Their only dropped points came in a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde on the opening weekend, a match that also marked Lamine Yamal's careful return from a hamstring problem. Since then, La Roja have beaten Saudi Arabia 4-0, Uruguay 1-0, Austria 3-0, Portugal 1-0 and Belgium 2-1, without conceding a single goal. They have kept five clean sheets in six games at this tournament and concede an average of 0.17 goals per game across their last six fixtures.

De la Fuente pointed to his side's record against France as a source of confidence. Spain beat France 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semi-finals in Munich and, on their way to the 2021 Nations League final, beat them 1-2 in Paris. Most memorably, the two sides produced a nine-goal thriller in Stuttgart in June 2025, with Spain winning the UEFA Nations League semi-final 5-4. "We are aware of their immense potential, but we also know that we're the only team to have beaten them in two semi-finals," De la Fuente said at his post-Belgium press conference. France, however, won the last time the fixture was played on neutral ground at a World Cup.

Deschamps will be desperate to see Mbappé arrive at the AT&T Stadium in full health. The France captain was substituted in the quarter-final win over Morocco after picking up a minor ankle injury, though he told reporters afterwards he was "completely fine" and subsequently trained with the group without restrictions, according to a report in MARCA. His fitness has since been confirmed. However, the French Football Federation's (FFF) pre-match briefings also flagged a concern over William Saliba's back, which represents a second question mark in the France defence.

France v Spain kicks off at 20:00 BST on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Dallas. BBC One and ITV1 both hold broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the UK. Check BBC iPlayer and ITVX for free online streams.