World Cup 2026: Spain stun listless France to reach final; England v Argentina buildup
Quick summary
Spain defeated a poor France side to advance to the 2026 World Cup final, while the other semifinal between England and Argentina was building up.
Full article
Attributed to original source⚽ All the latest news from a huge World Cup Wednesday ⚽ Spain reach final | Player guide | Golden Boot | Mail us
Fans at the final will get the chance to yam down an extra pint on the concourse, while their kids can successfully pester them for another tub of popcorn, for half-time will last half an hour, Fifa has confirmed. This will create sufficient time for the much-vaunted Superbowl-esque half-time show at which the likes of Shakira, Justin Bieber and Madonna will play the hits. Or maybe they won’t play the hits – perhaps they’ll go rogue and try out some experimental unreleased session tracks. We can but hope.
Greetings everyone , and welcome to a massive World Cup day. We’ll be covering all the buildup to the England v Argentina semi-final throughout the day, but we need to talk about last night first don’t we? Yes, Spain are in the final after producing, if not a shock, then at least an unscripted moment, in a World Cup that’s sometimes felt as if it has had too many scripted ones. The billing for last night didn’t have France simply not showing up as among the plot twists.
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What happened
Spain produced a stunning performance to overcome a listless France and book their place in the 2026 World Cup final. The Guardian's live blog covers Spain's emphatic semifinal victory and transitions to buildup for the second semifinal between England and Argentina. The result sets up one half of the final picture in the 2026 World Cup, held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Chance analysis
Spain's victory over France is a significant result in the World Cup 2026 knockout stage, reshaping final tournament predictions. France's flat performance removes a pre-tournament favorite from contention and raises questions about their squad condition or tactical setup. The England vs Argentina semifinal adds further intrigue, with one of football's most storied rivalries determining the other finalist.
Spain's World Cup 2026 final qualification boosts their tournament trajectory while France are eliminated from the competition.
Update World Cup 2026 market models: Spain confirmed in final, France eliminated; second finalist pending England vs Argentina result.