France v Spain — The Final Before the Final
Available in USThe two heavyweights of the top half meet in what Spain’s coach calls “a final before the final”. **France** are the outright favourites with a tournament-best defence; **Spain** arrive unbeaten in 36. It’s only their second-ever World Cup meeting — the first since 2006.
The first semi-final is the pick of the two. France v Spain, 15:00 ET Tuesday 14 July (that’s 05:00 AEST Wednesday 15 July) at AT&T Stadium, Arlington/Dallas. France open favourites on the back of three straight knockout clean sheets; Spain bring a 36-match unbeaten run and the Euro title. Here’s the full SF1 preview for Aussie punters.
Match essentials
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Fixture | France v Spain (SF1) |
| Date | Tue 14 Jul 2026 |
| Kickoff (ET) | 15:00 |
| AEST kickoff | Wed 15 Jul, 05:00 AEST |
| Venue | AT&T Stadium (retractable roof), Dallas |
| Watch (AU) | SBS / SBS On Demand |
Match lines (1X2, decimal)
| Selection | 1 (France) | X | 2 (Spain) | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN / FanDuel | 2.35 | 3.20 | 3.20 | as of 13 Jul 2026 |
France favourites; the draw and Spain level at 3.20. To-advance: France -148, Spain +120. Treat as a range — shop the price.
The story so far
France — meanest side left, but managing knocks
France are on six straight wins with knockout clean sheets over Sweden, Paraguay (1-0) and Morocco (2-0) — 16 scored, 2 conceded all tournament. Mbappe leads the Golden Boot on 8; Olise has a tournament-best 6 assists. The concern is fitness: Tchouameni (thigh) is a major doubt, Mbappe (ankle) a minor one but expected to start, and Manu Kone carried a knock. This is a third consecutive World Cup semi-final for Les Bleus.
Spain — unbeaten in 36, chasing history
Spain are unbeaten and reigning European champions, unbeaten in 36 matches — one short of Argentina’s all-time record of 37. They edged Belgium 2-1 in the QF (Merino 88′), conceding their first goal of the tournament in the process. Yeremy Pino is fit after a shoulder scare; Nico Williams (groin) is a doubt for a starting spot. It’s their first World Cup semi-final since the 2010 title run.
Head-to-head — a rare World Cup meeting
| Meetings (WC) | France | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| 1 game | 1 win | 0 wins |
| Last meeting | 2006 R16 | France 3-1 |
Their only prior World Cup meeting was the 2006 Round of 16 — France 3-1, with a late Zidane solo goal. This is just their second-ever World Cup tie.
Key absences & team news
| Player | Status | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Aurelien Tchouameni (France) | MAJOR DOUBT — thigh | Missed last two matches; Kone likely continues |
| Kylian Mbappe (France) | Minor doubt — ankle | Expected to start; said he’s “completely fine” |
| Manu Kone (France) | Available | Precautionary knock vs Morocco |
| Nico Williams (Spain) | Doubt — groin | Starting spot uncertain |
| Yeremy Pino (Spain) | Available | Shoulder sprain, cleared to play |
Sources: Sports Mole; ESPN injury tracker; FIFA preview — to 13 Jul 2026. No suspensions either side — yellow cards were wiped after the quarter-finals.
Predicted XIs
| France (4-2-3-1) | Spain (4-2-3-1) |
|---|---|
| Maignan | Simon |
| Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne | Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella |
| Kone, Rabiot | Rodri, Fabian |
| Dembele, Olise, Doue | Yamal, Olmo, Baena |
| Mbappe | Oyarzabal |
Predicted XIs, Sports Mole, 12 Jul 2026.
- France 2.35 favourites; the draw and Spain both 3.20.
- France have the meanest record left — 16 scored, 2 conceded, three knockout clean sheets.
- Spain unbeaten in 36 — one short of Argentina’s all-time record.
- Watch Tchouameni (thigh, major doubt) and Nico Williams (groin) before backing.
- Only their second-ever World Cup meeting — the first since 2006.
More: the semi-final odds & predictions, the England v Argentina preview and the 14 July tips.
