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England face Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final after semi-final defeat

Argentina beat England 2-1 in the semi-finals to set up a Sunday final against Spain, with France meeting England or Argentina in Saturday's third-place play-off. The final kicks off at 8pm BST on 19 July.

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England face Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final after semi-final defeat
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Argentina defeated England 2-1 in their 2026 World Cup semi-final, setting up a final against Spain on Sunday 19 July at 8pm BST. France, who beat Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals, will face the losing semi-finalist in Saturday’s third-place play-off at 10pm BST.

Spain reached the final by edging Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals, continuing an impressive run through the knockout rounds that began with a 3-0 win over Austria in the last 32 and a 1-0 defeat of Portugal in the round of 16.

England’s route to the semi-finals included a 2-1 win over DR Congo in the round of 32, a 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last 16, and a narrow 2-1 extra-time win over Norway in the quarter-finals before falling to Argentina at the penultimate hurdle.

Argentina have been one of the tournament’s most prolific sides, scoring 14 goals across their five knockout games. They overcame Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in the round of 32, defeated Egypt 3-2 in the last 16, and edged Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in the quarter-finals before eliminating England in the semis.

The third-place play-off between France and England or Argentina takes place on Saturday 18 July at 10pm BST, with the final following the next evening.

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