Spain sweep past France 2-0 to reach first World Cup final since 2010

Verified key facts

• Spain beat France 2-0 in the World Cup 2026 semi-final in Arlington, Texas, on 14 July
• Mikel Oyarzabal converted a first-half penalty after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal
• Pedro Porro scored Spain's second after a slick move involving Dani Olmo
• France did not manage a shot on target in the first half
• Spain reach their first World Cup final since winning the 2010 title; the final is on 19 July at MetLife Stadium

Spain deliver a masterclass in Dallas

Spain are back in a FIFA World Cup final for the first time in 16 years. Al Jazeera reported that La Roja beat France 2-0 in Tuesday's semi-final at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro.

The match followed a familiar Spanish script. Control the ball, stretch the opponent, and strike through moments of individual quality. France, for all their attacking talent, barely laid a glove on the game. Al Jazeera noted the French failed to register a shot on target in the first half.

Spain will now face England or Argentina in Sunday's final. FIFA confirmed the championship match takes place on 19 July at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which seats 82,500 for the tournament.

How the goals arrived

The opener came from the penalty spot in the first half. Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton pointed to the spot after Lucas Digne's challenge on Lamine Yamal, and Oyarzabal converted with typical calm, according to Al Jazeera's match report.

The second goal, after the interval, showcased Spain's passing rhythm. Dani Olmo was central to a slick team move that ended with Pedro Porro finishing emphatically. Olympics.com's live coverage described a semi-final in which Spain's class steadily wore the French down.

France's night was complicated early by injury. Al Jazeera reported that William Saliba's early withdrawal forced a defensive reshuffle from which the French never fully recovered. Kylian Mbappe and the forwards fed on scraps against Spain's disciplined back line.

For France, the inquest begins immediately. A squad built around Mbappe reached the last four without ever quite convincing, and the semi-final exposed the gap between talent and cohesion. Zero first-half shots on target, in a World Cup semi-final, told its own story.

Yamal torments France again

Lamine Yamal did not score, but he shaped the contest. The teenager-turned-superstar won the decisive penalty and kept both French full-backs occupied all evening. Al Jazeera singled out his wing play as the sharpest attacking weapon on the pitch.

Porro deflected the praise afterwards. "This is all down to the team; I can't take credit. We knew that to get close to the final we needed to have the ball," the wing-back said, in quotes carried by Al Jazeera.

• Result: Spain 2-0 France, semi-final, 14 July, Arlington, Texas
• Scorers: Oyarzabal (penalty), Pedro Porro
• France: no shot on target in the first half; Saliba injured early
• Spain have conceded only once in the entire tournament

A defence that has conceded once all tournament

The most striking statistic of Spain's run is defensive. Al Jazeera reported that Spain have conceded just one goal in the entire tournament. For a side celebrated for possession and attacking fluency, that miserliness is the mark of genuine champions-in-waiting.

It also frames the final. Whether England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham or Argentina's Lionel Messi await, the challenge is identical. Someone must find a way through a defence that has been essentially sealed for a month in North American heat.

Spain's month has been a procession of controlled performances. The side blends experienced finishers such as Oyarzabal with the youngest attacking core in the tournament. Olympics.com's live coverage tracked a semi-final that Spain controlled almost from the first whistle to the last.

Sixteen years after Johannesburg

Spain's only previous World Cup title came in 2010 under Vicente del Bosque, when Andres Iniesta's extra-time goal beat the Netherlands. This generation, built around Yamal, Olmo and a midfield of relentless passers, now has the chance to bookend that era.

The evolution is worth noting. The 2010 side ground out 1-0 wins; this team blends control with a faster, more vertical attack. European champions in 2024, they arrived in North America among the favourites and have played like it throughout.

The occasion also said something about this expanded World Cup. The first 48-team edition, spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada, saved one of its clearest tactical lessons for the semi-finals. Possession, pressing and patience remain the currency that decides the biggest nights.

What comes next

Spain now travel east to New Jersey with five days to prepare. The other semi-final, between England and Argentina in Atlanta, completes the bracket. The winner earns a meeting with the tournament's most complete team on Sunday, 19 July. In mid-July heat, those five days of rest may matter as much as any tactical plan.

FIFA confirmed the final kicks off at 3 pm Eastern time on Sunday. MetLife Stadium seats 82,500 in its World Cup configuration and hosts the sport's biggest match for the first time in its history. Demand for tickets has been ferocious since the bracket took shape.

For Indian fans, the final's 3 pm Eastern kick-off translates to a late Sunday night start, and it promises a worthy climax. Spain seek a second star above the crest. Their opponents will seek a way past a side that has made this World Cup look simple.

Sources

• Al Jazeera - Spain deliver masterclass to beat France 2-0 and reach World Cup final (14 July 2026)
• Olympics.com - FIFA World Cup 2026: Spain beat France 2-0 in semi-final, as it happened (14 July 2026)
• FIFA - New York New Jersey stadium to host World Cup 2026 final