The AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, hosts the opening act of the World Cup’s final week on Tuesday, as France and Spain contest a semi-final that brings together the two sides widely regarded as the most complete left in the tournament. The match, kicking off at 21:00 CEST, is the fourth semi-final meeting between the nations in five years, following Spain’s victories at Euro 2024 and in the 2025 Nations League, and France’s triumph in the 2021 edition of that competition. A place in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey awaits the winner, while the defeated team will head to Miami for the third-place play-off.

France arrive in Dallas having won all six of their matches inside 90 minutes, scoring 16 goals and conceding only two. Kylian Mbappé, with eight goals, shares the Golden Boot lead with Argentina’s Lionel Messi, and Ousmane Dembélé has added five more, making Les Bleus the first team since Brazil in 2002 to have two players score five or more at a single World Cup. Didier Deschamps’ side has evolved since the Euro 2024 loss to Spain, adopting a more aggressive 4-2-3-1 shape that has unlocked the creative talents of Michael Olise and Désiré Doué alongside the established stars. Spain’s path has been built on control and defensive solidity: Luis de la Fuente’s team has conceded only once in six matches, a record that included a 650-minute shutout streak for goalkeeper Unai Simón before Belgium breached it in the quarter-finals. Mikel Merino has scored late winners in both knockout rounds after coming off the bench, while Rodri and Pedri have dictated the rhythm of matches.

The duel between Mbappé and Spain’s Lamine Yamal has dominated the pre-match narrative, particularly after Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, stated that Spain had no reason to fear France given their recent record. The two have faced each other ten times for club and country, with Yamal on the winning side in eight of those encounters, though Mbappé has outscored him nine goals to six. Deschamps, who will step down after the tournament, labelled Spain the favourites, a view echoed by several statistical models that nonetheless give France a slight edge to progress. De la Fuente dismissed the tag, noting that all four semi-finalists are ranked in the top four by FIFA, a first in World Cup history.

European media have framed the match as a clash of styles: Spain’s possession-based approach, which has seen them complete more passes than any other side, against France’s devastating transition play. Analysts in Latin America, where the match is being broadcast extensively, have highlighted the subplot of a potential final against Argentina or England, with many viewing the winner of this tie as the favourite to lift the trophy. Asian outlets have focused on the tactical battle in midfield, where the duel between Rodri and France’s Manu Koné or Aurélien Tchouaméni could prove decisive. Across the Atlantic, North American coverage has emphasised the scale of the occasion, with the 80,000-capacity stadium sold out and a global television audience expected to exceed one billion.

For France, victory would make them only the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, after West Germany and Brazil. Spain are appearing in their first semi-final since winning the title in 2010 and are seeking to become the first European side to win back-to-back major tournaments since France in 1998 and 2000. The referee is Salvadoran Iván Barton, and the match will be preceded by a minute’s silence to mark the tenth anniversary of the Nice terror attack. The second semi-final, between Argentina and England, takes place in Atlanta on Wednesday.