History rewritten: a semi-final like no other
For the first time in World Cup history, FIFA's top three ranked teams - France, Argentina and Spain - have all reached the semi-finals of the same edition, joined by fourth-ranked England.
The 2026 World Cup has set a historic precedent, with FIFA's top three ranked teams all reaching the semi-finals at the same time: France (1st), Argentina (2nd) and Spain (3rd).
The trio is joined by England, 4th in the FIFA rankings, completing a final four made up of the world's top four nations - an exceptionally rare occurrence in the tournament's history.
The first semi-final will see France face Spain on Tuesday, while England take on Argentina on Wednesday, with both winners advancing to the tournament final.
This alignment between the world rankings and on-field results reflects the consistency these teams have shown throughout the knockout stage, a contrast to the major upsets previous editions have often produced.
