DALLAS, USA- Spain booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after a commanding 2-0 victory over France in Tuesday night’s semi-final at Dallas Stadium, ending Les Bleus’ hopes of lifting a second World Cup title in eight years.
The reigning European champions produced a composed display to outclass Didier Deschamps’ side, with Mikel Oyarzabal opening the scoring from the penalty spot before Pedro Porro sealed the victory with a second-half strike.
Spain took the lead in the 22nd minute after Lucas Digne fouled teenage sensation Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area. Oyarzabal stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to give La Roja a deserved advantage.
France struggled to create clear-cut chances against Spain’s disciplined defence and possession-based approach, with captain Kylian Mbappé largely kept quiet throughout the contest.
Spain doubled their lead in the 58th minute when full-back Pedro Porro capped off a flowing team move with a clinical finish beyond French goalkeeper Mike Maignan, leaving France with a mountain to climb.
Deschamps introduced fresh legs in search of a comeback, but France failed to find a breakthrough as Spain continued to dominate possession and control the tempo of the match.
France’s best opportunity fell late in the game, but they were unable to convert, summing up a frustrating evening for the 2018 world champions, who lacked their usual cutting edge in attack.
The victory sends Spain into their second FIFA World Cup final, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between England and Argentina.
For France, the defeat ends an impressive tournament run that saw them reach the last four after eliminating Morocco in the quarter-finals. However, their quest for another World Cup crown came to an end against a Spanish side widely regarded as one of the tournament’s standout teams.
