Spain reached the 2026 World Cup final with a 2-0 semi-final win over France, producing a controlled and convincing performance rather than a narrow escape. The result matters because France had been among the strongest fancied teams in the tournament, yet Spain limited their attacking threat and looked the more cohesive side throughout. Luis de la Fuente’s team now go into Sunday’s final as strong contenders for the title.

Spain took the lead in the first half when Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal, despite brief scrutiny over whether Yamal had handled the ball in the build-up. Pedro Porro scored the second from a well-worked move, and France failed to create meaningful chances for long periods, with Kylian Mbappé unable to change the game. Didier Deschamps’ side, including recalled midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni and winger Bradley Barcola, never found fluency, while Spain’s midfield control and defensive organisation kept them in command.