The 2026 FIFA World Cup has made history with its semifinal lineup, as the top four ranked teams in the world have all reached this stage for the first time since the FIFA Men's World Ranking was introduced in December 1992. France (ranked No. 1), Argentina (No. 2), Spain (No. 3), and England (No. 4) will compete for a spot in the final. This unprecedented scenario was confirmed after England's 2-1 victory over Norway and Argentina's 3-1 win against Switzerland on Saturday, following France's 2-0 defeat of Morocco and Spain's 2-1 triumph over Belgium in the quarterfinals.
The semifinals will see France play Spain in Dallas, and England face Argentina in Atlanta. All four of these nations are former World Cup champions, meaning the 2026 tournament is guaranteed to crown a repeat winner, a rare occurrence in the competition's history. This marks only the third time that all semifinalists have previously lifted the trophy, with the others being in 1970 (Brazil, Italy, West Germany, Uruguay) and 1990 (Argentina, West Germany, Italy, England).
The quarterfinal matches provided drama, with specific moments drawing attention. Argentina's win over Switzerland, for example, involved a controversial red card for Switzerland's Breel Embolo for simulation, which was initially a yellow for Leandro Paredes. Lionel Messi contributed an assist for Alexis Mac Allister's opening goal. England's victory against Norway saw Jude Bellingham convert a rebound for the game-winner, while Spain's win over Belgium came from a late goal after a rebound from the opposing goalkeeper.
