World Cup: Bayern stars start as France and Spain battle it out to reach final
| Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images. |
The 2026 World Cup has reached the business end of it's storyline as the first of two semi-finals gets underway tonight. France will be hoping to reach a third consecutive World Cup final in a row if they can defeat Spain at 21:00 CET in Dallas, Texas, this evening.
It comes as no surprise that Didier Deschamps keeps faith in Bayern Munich duo Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olise. Former Gladbach star Manu Koné drops out but ex-BVB winger Ousmane Dembélé features on the right for Les Blues, captained by Kylian Mbappé.
As for Spain, their tournament success has been attributed to resolute defending and an efficient conversion rate. Former RB Leipzig talisman Dani Olmo keeps his place in midfield – with over an hour to go until kick-off, you can find the confirmed starting lineups below.
Confirmed France vs. Spain lineups – 2026 World Cup semi-final:
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan – Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne – Tchouameni, Rabiot – Dembélé, Olise, Barcola – Mbappé
Spain (4-3-3): Simon – Porro, Laporte, Cubarsí, Cucurella – Rodri, Olmo, Ruiz – Yamal, Oyarzabal, Baena
