Spain advanced to its first FIFA World Cup final in 16 years after defeating France 2-0 in an enthralling semifinal at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.
The reigning European champions produced a disciplined defensive display and clinical attacking performance to neutralize France’s star-studded lineup, earning a place in Sunday’s World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scored the goals that sealed Spain’s victory. The breakthrough came after Lamine Yamal raced onto a loose ball and was brought down inside the penalty area by Lucas Digne. Oyarzabal calmly converted the resulting spot kick past France goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
READ: FIFA World Cup 2026: Third-place game ticket prices jump 31% in days (July 15, 2026)
Spain doubled its advantage shortly afterward when Porro combined with Dani Olmo in a well-worked one-two before finishing confidently into the bottom corner.
France, led by Kylian Mbappé, struggled to break down Spain’s organized defense despite introducing Désiré Doué and Rayan Cherki in search of a comeback. Goalkeeper Unai Simón excelled in his sweeper-keeper role, while Marc Cucurella produced a crucial challenge to deny Mbappé as Spain preserved its clean sheet.
The victory sends Spain into its first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 2010, when Andrés Iniesta scored the winning goal against the Netherlands. Spain will face the winner of the England-Argentina semifinal in Sunday’s championship match.
READ: Messi, Mbappé headline Golden Boot race at 2026 FIFA World Cup (July 14, 2026)
“It’s a dream come true. It’s honestly beyond my wildest dreams,” Spain right-back Pedro Porro said after the match. “I think we played a great game, did everything we had to do to reach the final. We knew we were up against a really, really tough team. This is the team’s achievement, not mine at all.”
The semifinal also marked another milestone for Oyarzabal, whose penalty was his 30th international goal. The Real Sociedad forward has now scored 18 goals in his last 20 appearances for Spain, becoming only the sixth player to reach the 30-goal mark for the national team.