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The 2026 World Cup is down to its final four contenders.
What started on June 11 with a record-breaking 48 teams has been whittled down to four of global soccer's most storied nations: France, Spain, England, and Argentina—each just two victories away from claiming the ultimate prize.
With the quarterfinal stage wrapping up on July 11—or July 12 depending on your time zone—the tournament enters a short breather before the decisive final stretch. This window gives the remaining sides crucial time to recover, regroup, and gear up for the intensity of the semifinal stage.
So when does play resume, and when will the last four nations clash for a spot in the World Cup final?
When Are the World Cup Semifinals?
There will be no World Cup fixtures for the rest of Sunday, July 12, or throughout Monday, July 13.
Semifinal action kicks off on Tuesday, July 14, with France taking on Spain at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. PT, and 8 p.m. BST.
England and Argentina will then square off 24 hours later on Wednesday, July 15, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, with kickoff set for the same times: 3 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. PT, and 8 p.m. BST.
The two victors will progress to the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 19, while the losing semifinalists will face off in the third-place match on Saturday, July 18.
Players competing in these late rounds will receive brief rest periods once the tournament concludes, though European clubs will swiftly return to preseason preparations and Major League Soccer is set to restart in just over a week—though Inter Miami will have to manage without Lionel Messi for a bit longer.
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World Cup Schedule—Semifinals Onwards
Game | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
Semifinal 1 (France vs. Spain) | Tuesday, July 14 | 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. BST |
Semifinal 2 (England vs. Argentina) | Wednesday, July 15 | 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. BST |
Third place playoff | Saturday, July 18 | 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. BST |
Final | Sunday, July 19 | 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. BST |
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Barnaby Lane, widely known as Barney, is a soccer journalist for SI FC. With close to ten years of experience in the field, he has contributed to a number of well-known publications across both the United States and the United Kingdom, and has sat down with some of the planet's most celebrated athletes—from Usain Bolt and Rafael Nadal to Christian Pulisic (though his most memorable interview to date remains Adebayo Akinfenwa). Barney's area of expertise is Premier League soccer, covering everything from the nostalgia of bygone eras to the modern, dramatically transformed landscape of the contemporary game. He also brings reporting experience in La Liga and Major League Soccer, the latter of which he developed a strong affinity for during his time studying at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.