The World Cup semi-final line-up is complete after England beat Norway 2-1 on Saturday, 11 July 2026, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice to send the Three Lions through.
The result in the Miami heat means France, Spain, England and Argentina now make up the last four, as reported by Al Jazeera.
It is the first time the top four teams in the FIFA world rankings have all reached the same World Cup semi-finals in a single edition.
How England beat Norway to reach the semis
Andreas Schjelderup fired Norway into a shock lead in their first ever World Cup quarter-final. Bellingham produced a moment of magic to equalise just before half-time, then pounced on an error by goalkeeper Orjan Nyland to sweep in the winner in extra time and settle a nervy contest.
The strike was Bellingham’s sixth goal of the tournament and ended Norway’s historic run at the last-eight stage. England came from behind to win 2-1 after extra time, carried once again by a talisman who has made a habit of rescuing his side whenever the pressure has cranked up to its highest.
Bellingham has now dragged England through more than one knockout tie almost single-handedly, and his six goals have made him the defining story of their campaign.
His composure in extra time against Norway underlined exactly why he is rated as one of the finest players of his generation right now.
The World Cup semi-final line-up and fixtures
France, ranked number one in the world, will face third-ranked Spain first.
That semi-final is set for Tuesday, 14 July 2026, kicking off at 15:00 local time (22:00 SAST) at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Both sides arrive as European heavyweights chasing a place in the final.
England, ranked fourth, then meet second-ranked Argentina on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, at 15:00 local time (21:00 SAST) at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The winners of the two ties will contest the World Cup final, setting up a blockbuster finish to a tournament that has already delivered plenty of drama.
The line-up is a genuine milestone. Never before have the four highest ranked national teams on the planet all reached the semi-finals in the same edition, a rarity in a competition famous for upsets.
France, Argentina, Spain and England have each navigated a gruelling knockout run to get here.
What happens next in the World Cup
With the semi-final line-up locked in, attention turns to Dallas and the France against Spain opener, followed by England against Argentina a day later.
The four survivors represent the strongest quartet the tournament’s rankings can offer, and two of them will be knocked out within the space of a few days.
For England, the challenge is stark. Standing between the Three Lions and a first World Cup final in decades is a familiar foe in Argentina, and a semi-final that will test whether Bellingham’s late heroics can carry his side one more step towards the trophy.
