The French national team will face Spain in the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday (July 15) at 02.00 WIB, in a match that brings together two European football powerhouses.
Spain advanced to the semifinals after defeating Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinals, while France advanced after defeating Morocco 2-0. Les Bleus are chasing a historic achievement, becoming only the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, after appearing in the 2018 and 2022 editions.
This match also provides an opportunity for France to avenge two consecutive defeats to Spain in major tournaments, while also demonstrating the results of the regeneration efforts undertaken by coach Didier Deschamps since Euro 2024.
A 2-1 defeat in the Euro 2024 semifinals marked the beginning of a major change for France. After taking the lead through Randal Kolo Muani, Les Bleus were forced to concede victory to Spain, who turned the game around through goals from Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo.
Since then, Deschamps has begun to build a new generation by relying on young players such as Desire Doue, Michael Olise, and Manu Kone, as the era of Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Benjamin Pavard, and Kingsley Coman in the national team has ended.
The French coach also changed his tactical approach from a 4-3-3 formation to a more offensive 4-2-3-1.
The changes began to be seen when France faced Spain again in the 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinals. Despite losing 4-5, Les Bleus played more aggressively, creating more chances and starting to match La Roja's possession.
