And then there were four. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11 with an expanded field of 48 nations, and after a month of incredible action and drama, we’re down to the final four with the semifinals slated for Tuesday and Wednesday. The winners will meet in Sunday’s final in New York, with the losers facing off in the third-place match the day before in Miami. 

All four teams – France, Argentina, Spain and England – have yet to lose a single game at this World Cup and, not so coincidentally, occupy the top four spots in the FIFA world rankings. The final four countries have all won a World Cup, but Argentina is seeking to become the first nation to win back-to-back titles since Brazil did so in 1958 and 1962. 

France was a finalist four years ago after winning its second World Cup in 2018, while Spain is looking to win its second since first hoisting the trophy in 2010. For England, it’s been a long wait – The Three Lions haven’t won the World Cup since 1966. 

Sportsnet takes an in-depth look at the semifinals and what to watch in both games.

FRANCE vs. SPAIN (Tuesday, 3 p.m. ET in Dallas) 

The matchup: Two of the giants of European soccer clash in Texas in a match that will pit France’s lethal attack against Spain’s ultra-stingy defence. The French have scored an impressive 16 goals across their seven matches (second most), led by tournament joint top scorer Kylian Mbappé, who has eight goals (tied with Lionel Messi). But France has yet to go up against a back line as strong as Spain’s. The Spanish defence, anchored by veteran Aymeric Laporte and teenager Pau Cubarsi, has been virtually impenetrable, as it recorded five clean sheets before finally conceding its first goal in a 2-1 win over Belgium in the quarterfinals. 

X-factor for France - Michael Olise: It’s easy to look at Kylian Mbappé’s incredible scoring run and think........

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