Projected Lineups: France vs Spain in 2026 World Cup Semifinal at AT&T Stadium
Two of the tournament's strongest teams, France—the 2018 champions and 2022 finalists—and reigning European champions Spain meet at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington this Tuesday. Both teams are expected to deliver a high-level match filled with intense competition.
Key Player Matchup: Mbappe vs Yamal
The spotlight will be on Kylian Mbappe, who shares the World Cup's top scorer spot with Lionel Messi, and young Spanish talent Lamine Yamal. Although Mbappe has consistently produced goals and assists for club and country, Yamal has had the upper hand against him in terms of wins while playing for both Barcelona and Spain.
The victor will secure a spot in the final scheduled for Sunday in New Jersey, while the losing side moves to compete in the third-place playoff on Saturday.
France Starting XI Prediction (4-2-3-1)
From right to left, the lineup is expected as:
- Goalkeeper: 16. Mike Maignan
- Defenders: 5. Jules Kounde, 4. Dayot Upamecano, 17. William Saliba, 3. Lucas Digne
- Midfielders: 8. Aurelien Tchouameni, 14. Adrien Rabiot
- Attacking Midfielders/Wingers: 7. Ousmane Dembele, 11. Michael Olise, 20. Desire Doue
- Forward: 10. Kylian Mbappe
Tchouameni missed the quarterfinal due to a thigh injury but is expected to be fit for this game. Mbappe, who was seen with an ice pack after the Morocco match, should also be ready to start. Coach Didier Deschamps faces a tactical choice: maintain the four-attacker formation or add an extra midfielder by substituting a forward, possibly bringing in Manu Kone or Warren Zaire-Emery.
Spain Starting XI Prediction (4-2-3-1)
Projected lineup includes:
- Goalkeeper: 23. Unai Simon
- Defenders: 12. Pedro Porro, 22. Pau Cubarsi, 14. Aymeric Laporte, 24. Marc Cucurella
- Midfielders: 16. Rodri, 20. Pedri
- Attacking Midfielders/Wingers: 19. Lamine Yamal, 10. Dani Olmo, 15. Alex Baena
- Forward: 21. Mikel Oyarzabal
Nico Williams remains a doubt due to a hamstring issue that limited his minutes recently. Luis de la Fuente is likely to reinstate Pedri into the starting lineup after benching him in the quarterfinals where Fabian Ruiz, despite scoring, did not impress overall.
Match Predictions and Viewing Information
The forecast predicts a narrow victory for France with a 2-1 scoreline over Spain.
France and Spain rosters include numerous stars from top European clubs, with coaches Didier Deschamps and Luis de la Fuente selecting squads full of experience and young talent alike.
Broadcast Details
In the United States, the match will air nationally on FOX, with live streams available through fubo, Fox One, and the Fox Sports app or website. Fubo is recommended as the best streaming service option.
Other regions have their own coverage: Canada via TSN and CTV apps, the UK through ITV1 and ITVX, Australia on SBS, and India via Unite8 Sports and ZEE5.
