FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal: All eyes on Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal as France, Spain battle for a place in the final; check kickoff time, venues and how to watch live streaming in US and Canada

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FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal: All eyes on Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal as France, Spain battle for a place in the final — FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal: France and Spain battle for a place in the final. (Photo Credit: Reuters/AP)

FIFA World Cup 2026: As the FIFA World Cup action heats up, the stage is set for a high-voltage semifinal clash as European giants Spain and France prepare to lock horns on July 14, 2026.

During the mouth-watering clash, all eyes will be on France's Kylian Mbappé and Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, with both teams having advanced through this year's World Cup without ever trailing. The winner of Tuesday's clash will advance to the World Cup final to face either Argentina or England.

Kylian Mbappé vs Lamine Yamal

The 27-year-old Mbappé has 20 goals in his 20 World Cup matches, including one in the 2018 win over Croatia when he joined Pelé as the only teenagers to score in a World Cup final. Coach Didier Deschamps said Mbappé is fine physically after exiting in the 77th minute of Les Bleus' quarterfinal win over Morocco after scoring a goal.

Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, has already been part of two semifinal wins with Spain over France. He was just days shy of his 17th birthday when he scored in a 2-1 win during the 2024 European Championship semifinals, and Spain won 5-4 in Nations League play last year. The teen has only one goal while putting 10 shots on target after coming into this World Cup still nursing a left hamstring issue. H

Spain and France FIFA World Cup journey

France and Spain, both at their 17th World Cup, have met only once previously on soccer’s biggest stage. They play Tuesday at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in the first of two powerhouse semifinal matches.

After entering this tournament as FIFA’s top-ranked team, France has outscored its opponents 14-2. Mbappé, the 2022 Golden Boot winner, has eight goals to match Lionel Messi for the scoring lead this time and is one behind the Argentina captain’s career record of 21 at the World Cup.

Spain has outscored opponents 10-1 since a scoreless draw against surprising Cape Verde to open group play, but La Roja got late, decisive goals from Merino as a late substitute in the past two games. And goaltender Unai Simón set a World Cup record of 650 minutes without allowing a goal until Belgium scored in the 41st minute of their quarterfinal game.

Merino scored in the 88th minute for that 2-1 win over Belgium on Friday. That came after the Arsenal forward’s goal in the first minute of second-half stoppage time for the 1-0 win over Portugal in the round of 16 at the same stadium where Spain's semifinal match will be played.

France, which will be playing on its country's Bastille Day national holiday, is trying to join five-time champion Brazil and four-time winner Germany as the only teams to make three consecutive World Cup finals. Brazil did it in 1994, 1998, and 2002, winning two titles and losing to host France in the middle of that run. This is France's seventh semifinal appearance, its fifth in the last eight World Cups. Spain's only other semifinals were in 1950 and then 2010 on the way to the title.