The 2026 World Cup semifinal between France and Spain will be a tightly contested match.

Score prediction for France vs Spain

France and Spain are set to create the most anticipated semifinal of the 2026 World Cup, as the two top contenders for the championship face off at 2:00 AM on July 15. This is seen as a replay of their EURO 2024 semifinal clash, where La Roja defeated Les Bleus on their path to glory.

The French team enters the match with very stable form. Manager Didier Deschamps' squad overcame Paraguay in the round of 16 before defeating Morocco in the quarterfinals to secure a spot among the top four teams. Kylian Mbappe continues to lead the attack, while Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise maintain high performance levels.

Les Bleus' biggest strength is the balance between offense and defense. France boasts superior squad depth, rapid transition ability, and experience in big matches. This is why many statistical models rate them as the top contender for the championship after the quarterfinals concluded.

On the other side, Spain continues to display a lively possession-based style under manager Luis de la Fuente. After overcoming Portugal and Belgium in the knockout rounds, La Roja maintains an impressive defensive record while also fielding an effective attack with young stars like Lamine Yamal and a technically gifted midfield.

Spain's style leans toward controlling the game and applying constant pressure through short passes. Meanwhile, France is particularly dangerous in counterattacks with the speed of Mbappe and Dembele. The midfield battle between the two teams is expected to determine the match's outcome.

This matchup is considered the most balanced since the start of the knockout stage by experts. A single moment of brilliance or an individual mistake could make the difference. However, with experience in high-stakes games and a slightly deeper squad, France is seen as having a slight edge over the Iberian side.

Score prediction for France vs Spain from Thethaovanhoa.vn:France 2-1 Spain.

Predictions from other sports sites:

Sports Mole: France 1-1 Spain (after extra time, France wins on penalties).

Standart.co.uk: France 3-1 Spain.

Sportskeeda: France 2-1 Spain.

Opta supercomputer prediction

In the latest 25,000 simulations by Opta's supercomputer for the remainder of the World Cup, the French team has a 57.7% chance of overcoming Spain to reach the final for the third consecutive time. Moreover, "Les Bleus" are crowned champions in 34% of the scenarios presented.

Spain has a 42.3% chance of reaching the final. However, there is an interesting detail: they remain the second favorite for the title with a 23.4% probability. This means the supercomputer believes the new world football champion is likely to emerge right after the fiery semifinal next Tuesday in Dallas.

Head-to-head history of France vs Spain

Unlike many other matchups at the 2026 World Cup, France and Spain have a very rich head-to-head history. Before the semifinal on North American soil, the two teams have met 38 times across all competitions. Spain has a slight edge with 17 wins, France has 13 wins, and 8 matches ended in draws.

Expected lineups for France vs Spain

France (4-3-3): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Olise, Dembele, Doue; Mbappe.

Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal.