- This piece SportPesa Blog Kenya take a look at the 2026 World Cup semi-final pairings, kickoff times, how to watch, and best bets.
- The last-four clashes will kick off from Tuesday, July 14, to Wednesday, July 15 in the United States.
- France, Spain, England and Argentina are the last four nations still standing.
It’s just a month ago since the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off across Canada, USA, and Mexico, where 48 nations from every corner of the globe converged for this edition.
Now, everything has ramped up to its zenith, with only four sides left battling for the silverware.
The tournament in North America has only gotten better. For the first time in World Cup history, the draw was structured to ensure the four highest-ranked nations were kept apart.
Spain, Argentina,France and England were effectively seeded to avoid facing one another before the semi-finals, provided they topped their groups, and all four have lived up to expectations by reaching the last four.
These titans have weathered scares from underdogs, dark horses, and fancied outfits alike, from the group stage onward.
With reigning champions Argentina in the mix and every remaining side a former winner, each will be desperate to carve their path into the final on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium.
2026 World Cup semi-finals preview
In this piece, SportPesa Blog Kenya takes a look at the four remaining contenders, with a preview, where to watch, where to place your bets, and the venues for each semi-final.
France vs Spain
The first semi-final of the 2026 World Cup will see France take on Spain at Dallas Stadium from 10pm East Africa Time.
France are just one game away from reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.
Didier Deschamps’ side cruised through the group stage with three straight victories over Senegal, Iraq and Norway before making equally light work of Sweden in the Round of 32.
Les Bleus then showed another side of their game by overcoming a stubborn Paraguay in the Round of 16 before producing another commanding display to eliminate Morocco in the quarter-finals.
ALSO READ: France vs Spain prediction: World Cup semi-final preview, team news, lineups & h2h
On the oter hand, after being held to a shock goalless draw by Cabo Verde in their Group H opener, Spain gradually found their rhythm in North America.
They finished top of their group by beating Saudi Arabia and Uruguay before comfortably dispatching Austria in the Round of 32.
Late goals proved decisive in both the Round of 16 and quarter-finals, with Mikel Merino coming off the bench to knock out Portugal before repeating the feat against Belgium.
Tuesday’s encounter will be a repeat of their Euro 2024 semi-final, where Spain claimed a 2-1 victory before going on to lift the trophy, with Lamine Yamal producing a sensational goal just days before his 17th birthday.
ALSO READ: Spain vs Belgium: Merino the hero again as La Roja march into World Cup semifinals
This time, the World Cup showdown comes a day after Yamal turns 19, and much of Spain’s hopes will once again rest on his shoulders.
France’s talisman Kylian Mbappe has enjoyed another extraordinary tournament, scoring eight goals, including one in the quarter-final victory over Morocco.
Mbappe is level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot and sits just one goal behind the Argentine’s all-time World Cup tally of 21 goals.
England vs Argentina
After near misses in 1990 and 2018, England are once again one step away from reaching a second World Cup final.
However, standing in their path are arch-rivals and reigning champions Argentina.
The two sides will meet on Wednesday, July 15, at Atlanta Stadium from 10pm EAT.
ALSO READ: Norway vs England: Bellingham’s brace sends Three Lions into 2026 World Cup semifinals
England began their campaign in style, edging Croatia 4-2 in an entertaining Group L opener.
They followed that with a hard-fought goalless draw against Ghana before sealing top spot with a 2-0 victory over Panama.
Thomas Tuchel’s men displayed tremendous resilience to come from behind and defeat DR Congo in the Round of 32 before digging deep with 10 men to overcome co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16.
The Three Lions showed the same fighting spirit in the quarter-finals, rallying from behind to beat Norway 2-1 thanks to another brace from talisman Jude Bellingham.
ALSO READ: Thomas Tuchel slams England’s performance despite World Cup semi-final qualification
Argentina, meanwhile, became the last team to secure a place in the semi-finals after overcoming 10-man Switzerland in extra time on Saturday night in Kansas City.
A stunning strike from Julian Alvarez and a late goal from Lautaro Martinez sealed the victory after Switzerland’s Dan Ndoye had cancelled out Alexis Mac Allister’s opener to force extra time.
Argentina are chasing a historic achievement as they seek to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup.
ALSO READ: Argentina vs Switzerland: Reigning champions beat 10-man Swiss to reach 2026 World Cup semifinals
They now travel to Atlanta to face an England side spearheaded by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
Still chasing their first major trophy since 1966, England once again relied on Bellingham, whose two goals inspired a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in Miami.
England hold a 3-2 advantage over Argentina in World Cup meetings.
Where to Watch the 2026 World Cup semi-finals in Kenya and Africa
Football fans across Kenya and the rest of Africa can watch all the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final matches through official broadcast partners.
In Kenya, Azam TV and SuperSport will air every match live on television and via their digital streaming platforms.
Fans looking for free-to-air coverage can also watch selected matches on KBC through its partnership with New World TV and SportyTV.
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, broadcasters including SuperSport, New World TV, Azam TV, and StarTimes will provide live coverage, depending on the country.
In North Africa and the Middle East, beIN Sports remains the primary broadcaster, while Morocco’s state broadcaster SNRT will televise the Atlas Lions’ matches for local viewers.
Fans can also stay up to date with live scores, match statistics, results, and real-time updates on SportPesa Score, ensuring they don’t miss any of the quarter-final action.
Want the winning edge before kickoff? Follow SportPesa Blog Kenya on Google News to get all our upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup match predictions and expert previews delivered straight to your feed!
2026 World Cup semi-final fixtures, dates, kick-off times and venues
Note: All times are in East Africa Time (EAT)
- Tuesday, July 14: France vs Spain – Dallas Stadium – 10pm
- Wednesday, July 15: England vs Argentina – Atlanta Stadium -10pm
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026