World Cup semifinals feature only champion teams for first time in 36 years
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 12, 2026, 4:43 AM
Last updated Jul 12, 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached an unprecedented stage, with semifinal matches featuring only world champions. France and Spain will face each other on July 14, while England and Argentina are set to meet on July 15. This marks the third time in history that such a scenario has occurred, following the tournaments in 1970 and 1990. The stark rivalry between England and Argentina adds further significance, as their past encounters have been marked by intense competition and historical context, from the 1986 World Cup. The upcoming matches promise a showcase of elite football among the best teams.
- •World Cup features four past champions in the semifinals.
- •France vs. Spain on July 14 and England vs. Argentina on July 15.
- •Previous occurrences were in 1970 and 1990.
- •England and Argentina share a heated historical rivalry.
- •The significance of their matches traces back to the 1986 World Cup.
- 4:43 AMYahoo Sports — 🤯 Copa do Brasil semis have only champions after 36 years, off-pitch feud
"The 2026 FIFA World Cup made history even before the ball started rolling, back on June 11, in the match between Mexico and South Africa.After all, for the first time in history, the tournament that b...
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- FIFA World Cup•Jul 12, 2026, 8:50 AMVideo: Lautaro strikes 121st minute goal to send Argentina to World Cup semi-final
- FIFA World Cup•Jul 12, 2026, 8:44 AMLionel Messi confronts challenge from England before first-ever international meeting at World Cup
- FIFA World Cup•Jul 12, 2026, 8:30 AM5 New Jersey restaurants offering World Cup watch parties
- FIFA World Cup•Jul 12, 2026, 8:22 AMWhy Adidas Trionda ball will not be used again at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- FIFA World Cup•Jul 12, 2026, 7:46 AMLionel Messi’s incredible World Cup record comes to an end after no goal vs. Switzerland
- FIFA World Cup•Jul 12, 2026, 6:40 AMAston Villa midfielder showers praise on Real Madrid midfielder for his game-defining performance: ‘Golden Ball winner, maybe’
