The FIFA World Cup 2026 has delivered one extraordinary moment after another, and it has saved the best for last.
Four teams remain. France, Spain, England, and Argentina — the top four ranked nations in world football — are all still standing. For the first time in World Cup history, the last four teams are also the four highest-ranked teams in the FIFA rankings. That’s not a coincidence. That’s the cream rising exactly to the top.
Two blockbuster semi-finals now stand between these teams and a place in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
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The Semi-Final Fixtures
France vs Spain Date: July 15, 2026 Kick-off: 12:30 AM IST Venue: Dallas Stadium
England vs Argentina Date: July 16, 2026 Kick-off: 12:30 AM IST Venue: Atlanta Stadium
Both matches kick off at half past midnight Indian Standard Time, which means setting an alarm if you want to watch them live.
How We Got Here — The Quarter-Final Results
All four semi-finalists had to earn their place in dramatic fashion.
France 2-0 Morocco — Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele got the goals as France dispatched the African champions with a clinical performance. Morocco, who had been one of the stories of the tournament, finally met a team that had no margin for error.
Spain 2-1 Belgium — This one went right down to the wire. Fabian Ruiz gave Spain the lead, Charles De Ketelaere equalised for Belgium, and then substitute Mikel Merino — who has made a habit of scoring important goals in this tournament — struck late to send Spain through.
England 2-1 Norway — Jude Bellingham was the story here, scoring twice including a goal deep in extra time to end Norway’s extraordinary run. Erling Haaland and his teammates had been one of the genuine surprises of this World Cup, but England found a way through when it mattered most.
Argentina 3-1 Switzerland — This one looked like it might go wrong for the defending champions at several points. Switzerland equalised and pushed Argentina hard before Julian Alvarez produced a stunning long-range strike in the 112th minute of extra time to break the deadlock. Lautaro Martinez added a third right at the death to make the scoreline more comfortable than the match actually was.
What Makes These Semi-Finals Special
France vs Spain is a rivalry between two technically gifted sides that play football with real elegance. Spain have Lamine Yamal, the teenage sensation who has been one of the players of the tournament. France have Mbappe, who despite not scoring against Morocco, remains the most dangerous attacker in world football on his day. Their head-to-head record gives Spain the edge historically — 18 wins to France’s 12 across 37 meetings — but World Cup semi-finals have a way of making historical records irrelevant.
England vs Argentina carries a completely different kind of weight. This fixture comes loaded with history — the Hand of God, the rivalry forged through war and controversy, decades of on-field drama across major tournaments. Argentina are the defending champions, Lionel Messi is chasing a second World Cup title in what is almost certainly his final tournament, and England have not won a World Cup since 1966. The storylines write themselves.
For Indian fans, the Argentina vs England match in particular promises to be one of those occasions where the whole country is collectively awake at midnight watching football.
How to Watch in India — Free and Paid Options
The good news for Indian fans is that both semi-finals are available to watch without paying.
DD Sports is carrying both matches free to air. If you have DD Free Dish or a DTH plan that includes DD Sports, you can watch both semi-finals at no extra cost. JioTV also provides access to DD Sports on mobile, making it convenient for viewers who want to watch on their phones.
For premium coverage, ZEE5 is streaming the entire tournament live with a paid subscription. Television viewers can also catch both matches on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD.
Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup Dream Dies in Dallas
The Road to the Final
The winners of both semi-finals meet in the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — one of the great venues in world sport.
The third-place playoff takes place on July 18 in Miami, where the two semi-final losers will play for bronze.
France and Argentina have both won the World Cup twice. England and Spain have each won it once. Whoever lifts the trophy on July 19 will be joining a very small group of nations that have won three or more World Cup titles.
One of these four teams is about to make history. The semi-finals start on July 15. Don’t miss them.