FIFA World Cup Semifinals Preview: The Best of the Best
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Sun Jul 12, 2026, 11:50 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has come and gone before our very eyes. About a month ago Mexico and South Africa kicked things off on a Thursday afternoon, and now we are down to the semifinals. Only four teams are left, and of course, it's the best of the best. The top four teams in the world all ended up in the World Cup Semifinals, so let's preview these matchups before they go down this week.
Check out the best odds on the market and tons of picks in different soccer leagues across the world.
France vs. Spain FIFA World Cup Semifinal Preview
Kylian Mbappe and France are one win away from their third straight World Cup Final
Why France Will Win
France's offense is stacked. It's no secret, everybody knows it at this point. They are scoring 2.67 goals per match in the World Cup, and are giving up just 0.33. The back line is on a three match shutout streak as well, and Spain's offense still isn't wowing me…yet. The French are playing in their third straight World Cup Semifinal, so they've been here before, and this is easily their best squad over the last three tournaments.
Why Spain Will Win
The Spaniards still haven't kicked things into high gear yet, but they haven't necessarily had to. After five straight shutouts to start the tournament, they finally conceded a goal to Belgium in the quarterfinals. The defense has been the strong side of this team, and they'll need to continue that against this French attack.
I'm leaning towards taking the 90 minute under 2.5 at (-110), as I see the Spanish team trying to control the ball and keep it away from Mbappe and company. As far as a side goes, I have both teams at 5-1 to win the whole tournament, so it doesn't matter to me. But I think this France team is too good to be stopped.
England vs. Argentina FIFA World Cup Semifinal Preview
Jude Bellingham has four goals in his last two World Cup matches for England
Why England Will Win
Harry Kane. Jude Bellingham. When one has an "off match", the other steps up for his country. They both have six goals in six matches in this competition, and both found the back of the net against Croatia and Mexico. This Argentinian back line has looked off all tournament long, and the team is just squeaking by. If England kicks things into high gear and plays aggressive offensively, that gives them their best chance at winning in my opinion, as opposed to sitting back and bracing for impact.
Why Argentina Will Win
We all know why. The guy who wears No. 10 on the field. Lionel Messi is on another level right now, and Argentina has plenty of talent surrounding him. Personally, he was held finally scoreless against Switzerland, but his teammates stepped up, which they will need to do against England. The Brits are stingy on defense, and again, the defending World Cup Champions have barely been beating teams. They needed extra time to do so against Cape Verde (No. 64), had a miraculous comeback against Egypt (No. 24), and then went toe to toe with the Swiss (No. 14) after scoring in the ninth minute. Now facing the No. 4 team in the world, they'll need to play much better than they have all tournament.
Tough to fade Messi as an underdog, but contrary to what I may have said in previous articles, it might be coming home.
Still Want More Soccer Content?
Here at Betting News, we offer Free Expert Picks for every major sports league. We also host daily streams on our Twitch Channel with our best bets, as well as sweat out games on Playback! Be sure to tune into everything we have going on at our Youtube, TikTok, and X pages as well. Be sure to follow my personal X account as well, @Shaggy_Bets for my full daily card.
- FIFA World Cup Betting Guide
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Futures
- World Cup Group Stage Match Schedule
- FIFA World Cup Dark Horse Picks
- USMNT World Cup Roster Reactions
- Expert Soccer Picks
More Soccer News
Soccer Betting News
MLS Picks and Predictions for May 24, 2026
Soccer Betting News
EPL Picks and Predictions for May 24, 2026
Soccer Betting News
MLS Picks and Predictions for May 23, 2026
Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly
Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER
Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.