Tonight in Texas, two of the great modern footballing nations meet at a World Cup for the first time. France, finalists in three of the last four World Cups, against a Spain side that has looked like the most complete team in the tournament — with a place in Sunday’s final at MetLife waiting for the winner.
The storylines
It’s astonishing that France and Spain have never crossed paths at a World Cup, because they’ve spent the last half-decade trading classics everywhere else: France edged the 2021 Nations League final, Spain won a brilliant Euro 2024 semi-final on the way to the title. Tonight is the rubber match, at the biggest venue of the tournament so far — the 80,000-plus capacity AT&T Stadium.
Spain’s tournament has been about rhythm: they’ve dominated possession in every round and their young wide players have been the breakout stars of the summer. France, as ever, have been about moments — devastating in transition even when they concede territory, with the tournament’s most feared attacking spearhead. Control against chaos is the oldest tactical argument in football, and tonight it gets a World Cup semi-final to settle it.
How they got here
Spain cruised through their group and have barely been behind in the knockout rounds. France needed extra time in the round of 16 and have leaned on their defensive spine, but no side in the world is more comfortable winning ugly at a World Cup — it’s practically a national art form.
When to tune in
UK coverage is on ITV1 from 7:00 PM BST, kick-off at 8:00 PM — with a free stream on ITVX. US viewers have a 3:00 PM ET kick-off on FOX. AT&T Stadium’s roof means conditions are guaranteed, whatever the Texas heat is doing outside.
Not near a TV, or outside the broadcast regions? The free stream linked above carries the whole match and switches sources automatically if one drops out.