Lionel Messi’s Argentina will be facing England in the semi-final© AFP
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is nearing its conclusion. The grand tournament, which began with a record 48 teams, is now down to its final four semi-finalists. The thrilling quarter-final stage saw Kylian Mbappe‘s France defeat Morocco 2-0. In the second match, Spain edged past Belgium 2-1, with substitute Mikel Merino once again scoring the decisive goal. On the final day of the quarter-finals, Harry Kane‘s England ended Erling Haaland and Norway’s dream of lifting the World Cup trophy with a 2-1 victory. Later, Lionel Messi‘s Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 to reach their second consecutive World Cup semi-final.
Julian Alvarez sent defending champions Argentina back into the semi-finals with a stunning long-range strike in the 112th minute against Switzerland. A late goal from Lautaro Martinez, scored with seconds remaining in extra time, only made the 3-1 victory appear more comfortable than it actually was on Saturday night. Alexis Mac Allister had earlier opened the scoring from a Lionel Messi corner, helping La Albiceleste survive another tense encounter and set up a semi-final clash against England on Wednesday in Atlanta.
Although Messi’s nine-match World Cup scoring streak came to an end, his pursuit of a second World Cup title remains alive. With Argentina and England joining France and Spain in the last four, it marks the first time that the top four teams in the FIFA rankings have all reached the World Cup semi-finals.
Let’s have a look at the semi-final fixtures, along with the schedule and time:
FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi-Final Schedule:
France vs Spain
Date & Time: Wednesday, 15 July 2026 at 12:30 AM IST | Venue: Dallas Stadium
England vs Argentina
Date & Time: Thursday, 16 July 2026 at 12:30 AM IST | Venue: Atlanta Stadium
FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi-Final Live Streaming And Telecast
Fans can watch the matches live on Unite8 Sports channels. For live streaming, the entire tournament is available on ZEE5.
(With AP Inputs)
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