By Francis Onyach - Reporter
USA July 15,2026 - Spain are through to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after producing a commanding 2-0 victory over France in the first semi-final at Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sealed a deserved win for Luis de la Fuente's side, ending France's hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.
The reigning European champions controlled large spells of the contest with their trademark possession-based football, limiting Didier Deschamps' star-studded France side to very few clear-cut opportunities. Spain will now face the winner of the second semi-final between England and Argentina in Sunday's World Cup final.
From the opening whistle, Spain looked the more composed and purposeful side. Their midfield trio, led by Rodri, dictated possession, while Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, and Álex Baena repeatedly stretched the French defence.
France struggled to establish any rhythm as Spain's pressing forced several turnovers high up the pitch. Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise found little space against a disciplined Spanish back line marshalled by Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte.
Spain's dominance was rewarded in the 22nd minute.
Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal drove into the French penalty area before being brought down by Lucas Digne, leaving referee Iván Barton with little hesitation in awarding a penalty. A VAR review confirmed the decision.
Mikel Oyarzabal calmly stepped up and sent goalkeeper Mike Maignan the wrong way to give Spain a deserved 1-0 lead. The goal was Oyarzabal's fifth of the tournament, further strengthening his impressive World Cup campaign.
Despite falling behind, France struggled to create meaningful chances.
Spain's compact defensive shape prevented Mbappé from finding space in dangerous areas, while Rodri controlled the tempo in midfield. France enjoyed occasional spells of possession but lacked the creativity and movement needed to break through Spain's organized defence.
Didier Deschamps introduced fresh legs after halftime in an attempt to change the momentum, but Spain remained firmly in control.
Spain doubled their advantage in the 58th minute with one of the finest team goals of the tournament.
After a sustained spell of possession, Pedro Porro exchanged a clever one-two with Dani Olmo before bursting into the penalty area and finishing clinically past Maignan to make it 2-0.
The move highlighted Spain's technical quality and fluid attacking play, leaving the French defence exposed and effectively ending the contest.
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Although he did not get on the scoresheet, Lamine Yamal once again demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in world football.
The 19-year-old won the penalty that led to Spain's opening goal and consistently troubled France's defence with his pace, dribbling and intelligent movement. He also had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside decision during another impressive individual performance.
Luis de la Fuente's tactical approach proved decisive.
Spain combined patient possession with aggressive pressing, preventing France from launching quick counterattacks while controlling the midfield battle through Rodri and Fabián Ruiz.
Defensively, Spain remained compact throughout the match, with full-backs Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella balancing attacking support with disciplined defensive work.
The victory also continued Spain's recent dominance over France, having previously defeated Les Bleus in the UEFA Euro 2024 semi-final and the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
France entered the semi-final hoping to reach a third consecutive FIFA World Cup final, following appearances in 2018 and 2022.
However, Didier Deschamps' side never found the attacking fluency that had carried them through earlier rounds. Spain's relentless pressing and superior ball retention kept France on the back foot for most of the contest.
Despite boasting world-class attacking talent, Les Bleus managed few clear opportunities as Spain deservedly progressed to the championship match.
Spain's 2-0 victory over France underlined why they have been among the standout teams of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their blend of technical excellence, tactical discipline and youthful energy proved too much for a French side that struggled to match their intensity.
With Mikel Oyarzabal continuing his prolific scoring form, Pedro Porro contributing at both ends of the pitch, and Lamine Yamal once again delivering on the biggest stage, Spain now stand just one victory away from lifting their second FIFA World Cup title, their first since triumphing in South Africa in 2010.
France, meanwhile, must settle for a place in the third-place playoff after their impressive tournament run came to an end in Texas.