France vs Spain LIVE SCORE, FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi-Final-1: Mbappe vs Yamal as ESP eyes end of FRA’s run

Here’s how the French fans are getting ready for the big game in Dallas.

France seem to be the favorites of the Kalshi prediction market.

The shirts that Spain will wear in the all-important Semi-Final are here.

The big game between France ad Spain will take place here.

The last time France and Spain clashed in a FIFA World Cup knockout match was on June 27, 2006, during the Round of 16 in Hanover, Germany.

Spain are looking for their first title since 2010 and this is one of the strongest teams in generation. Therefore they must win this one.

While France enters Dallas Stadium as an undeniable World Cup juggernaut—boasting a perfect 6–0 tournament record and an unstoppable Kylian Mbappé on 8 goals—Spain’s “control masters” have become the ultimate kryptonite for Les Bleus.

Luis de la Fuente’s side has systematically disrupted the French machine over the last two years, knocking them out in the Euro 2024 semifinals and outlasting them in a 5–4 Nations League epic.

The Group Stage (Group H)Spain comfortably topped Group H, relying heavily on structural discipline and keeping three consecutive clean sheets.

1. Spain 0–0 Cabo Verde: A quiet, frustrating opening match in Atlanta, but it secured a baseline point

2. Spain 4–0 Saudi Arabia: The attack clicked into gear with a dominant four-goal victory back in Atlanta.

3. Uruguay 0–1 Spain: A gritty, physical encounter at the Akron Stadium where a single goal was enough to secure the top spot in the group.2.

Round of 32 Spain 3–0 Austria: In the tournament’s expanded knockout format, Spain made quick work of Austria at the Los Angeles Stadium, showcasing a highly efficient attacking display.

Round of 16 Portugal 0–1 Spain: A heavyweight Iberian derby in Dallas. In a tightly contested tactical battle, substitute Mikel Merino stepped up to score a clutch, late winner to send the Portuguese home.

Quarter-Finals Spain 2–1 Belgium: Facing a dangerous Belgian golden generation remnant, Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain before Charles De Ketelaere equalized. The equalizer ended goalkeeper Unai Simón’s staggering World Cup clean-sheet streak at over 650 minutes and marked the first goal Spain conceded all tournament. History repeated itself in the 88th minute when Mikel Merino, once again coming off the bench, pounced on a loose ball in the box to smash home the winning goal.

Spain’s journey to the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been a masterclass in tactical balance and defensive rigidity. The reigning European champions marched into the final four having conceded just a single goal across their six matches.

Group Stage (Match 1)

France 3 – 1 Senegal

A statement opening win at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Kylian Mbappé hit the ground running with a brilliant brace, while Bradley Barcola chipped in to put Senegal away early.

Group Stage (Match 2)

France 3 – 0 Iraq

Complete dominance from start to finish. Another clinical brace from Mbappé officially punched France’s ticket into the knockout stages with a game to spare.

Group Stage (Match 3)

Norway 1 – 4 France

France locked down top spot in Group I with a goal-laden display at Boston Stadium. Ousmane Dembélé took center stage, ripping through Norway’s defense to score the second-fastest hat-trick in World Cup history.

Round of 32

France 3 – 0 Sweden

Returning to New Jersey, France comfortably brushed aside the Swedes. Mbappé put on a masterclass, dazzling the crowd and officially moving into outright second place on the World Cup’s all-time scoring charts.

Round of 16

Paraguay 0 – 1 France

The first real gut-check of the tournament for the French. In a highly physical, attritional war at Philadelphia Stadium, Mbappé stepped up in the second half to convert a high-pressure penalty and keep the clean-sheet streak alive.

Quarterfinal

France 2 – 0 Morocco

A tactical rematch of the 2022 semifinal. Despite Morocco throwing up a rigid 4-5-1 block and Yassine Bounou masterfully saving an early Mbappé penalty, France’s relentless baseline pressure paid off to secure a mature 2-0 shutout.

Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus booked their spot in a third consecutive World Cup semifinal with a completely flawless, undefeated campaign in North America. Anchored by defensive discipline and ignited by a high-octane attack led by Kylian Mbappé—who leads the Golden Boot race with 8 goals—France systematically dismantled every obstacle in their path.

La Roja famously engineered a 2–1 comeback victory over Les Bleus in the Euro 2024 semifinals in Munich on their way to continental glory, and duplicated their edge just a year later with a chaotic 5–4 triumph in a breathtaking 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinal.

However, as they square off in Dallas for a ticket to the 2026 World Cup final, France arrives with the imposing pedigree of chasing a third consecutive tournament final appearance, driven by a determination to finally halt Spain’s recent run of tactical dominance.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the first semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The match between France and Spain takes place at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington. Stay tuned to Financialexpress.com as we take you through all the happenings of the game, right from the build-up to the end.