Spain have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after defeating France 2-0 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Pedro Porro opened the scoring in the 22nd minute before Mikel Oyarzabal doubled Spain’s lead in the 58th.
France failed to find a response as Spain protected the two-goal advantage through the remainder of the semifinal.
The victory sends Spain into the World Cup final for the second time in the country’s history.
Spain will face the winner of the second semifinal between defending champions Argentina and England. That match is scheduled for Wednesday in Atlanta.
The final will be played on July 19.
Spain entered the semifinal with one of the tournament’s strongest defensive records, while France arrived in Arlington as the competition’s leading attacking side.
France had scored 16 goals before the match, with Kylian Mbappe contributing eight during the campaign.
Spain’s defensive organisation limited the French attack and produced a clean sheet in the decisive contest.
Porro’s first-half goal gave Spain control of the scoreboard. Oyarzabal added the second 13 minutes after the interval, increasing the pressure on France to recover.
The match was decided in regulation time, without extra time or a penalty shootout.
Spain reached the semifinal with a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Belgium. Mikel Merino scored the winning goal in the 88th minute after Spain had been pushed close by their opponents.
France advanced to the last four by defeating Morocco 2-0. Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele scored as the French ended the African champions’ campaign.
The semifinal brought together two of the highest-ranked teams in world football. France held the top position in the rankings, while Spain entered the last four among the leading international sides.
The 2026 tournament is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and is the first men’s World Cup played with 48 teams.
Spain are the first team confirmed for the final. Their opponent will be decided by the Argentina-England semifinal in Atlanta.
The July 19 match will give Spain an opportunity to secure another world title, while France’s campaign ends at the semifinal stage.
