France-Spain semi-final: four hours of flight and 35°C await the Blues in Dallas

For the first time since the start of the American World Cup, the France team will have to pack up and cross the continent. After playing all their matches in New York, Boston and Philadelphia, the Blues will head to Dallas on Sunday evening to face Spain in the semi-final on Tuesday at 9 p.m.

The journey between Boston and Dallas represents just over four hours of flight — an unprecedented logistical constraint for players already stretched after a month of competition. Upon arrival, temperatures will be far from pleasant: after a weekend when the mercury is expected to reach nearly 40°C, it will still be around 35°C at kick-off, in the early afternoon.

Spain, for their part, secured their place in the last four by beating Belgium, just days after France’s qualification at the expense of Morocco. The Blues benefit from an extra day of rest compared to their opponent — five days between matches compared to four in previous rounds.

Didier Deschamps played down the logistical constraints after the victory against Morocco. “Some teams have had longer journeys,” he said. “Others have had the benefit of playing in covered stadiums. In the last match, in 40-degree heat, the bodies were tested. Coolness is an essential factor in a competition. At first, we only had four days, now we have five days between matches, one extra day, that’s good. We’re doing our best to optimize with the medical staff. The players are well, that’s good, we’ll need that.”

Managing the heat and fatigue will therefore emerge as a central issue before this clash between two of the tournament’s most prominent teams.