Will Bellingham and Mbappe make it to the final? Getty Images
After 100 matches at World Cup 2026 there are four teams left standing.
Kylian Mbappe and France overcame Morocco, Lamine Yamal and Spain eased past Belgium, Jude Bellingham helped England eliminate Erling Haaland’s Norway in extra-time. Lionel Messi and defending champions Argentina became the last team into the semifinals by defeating Switzerland, with the help of a stunning extra-time strike from Julian Alvarez.
The ties will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday with the final taking place on Sunday at MetLife Stadium (and a bronze-medal match the day before in Miami).
So who is predicted to make the final? Who are the key players in each game? And is the final being played at the right stadium?
We asked our writers all of that and more, and this is what they said.
The best performance of the quarterfinals was?
Thom Harris: A Ballon d’Or winner can hardly go ‘under the radar’, but Rodri has been quietly rediscovering his most dominant form at the heart of the Spanish midfield. He was everywhere against Belgium, putting out fires all across the pitch with the unmatched sense of anticipation and positioning that makes him so good at playing the holding midfield role. He has also completed more passes and carried the ball further than any player at the tournament so far, just as crucial to their patient possession play.
Lukas Weese: Kylian Mbappe. Not only did he score against Morocco but he took three Moroccan defenders with him, creating space for Dembele, who ultimately extended the France lead. Mbappe continues to elevate his level in this tournament.
James Horncastle: Jude Bellingham. England put in an understandably tired performance against Norway. They were also confusing. Bellingham rose above it, as he so often does. As was the case at the Azteca. As was the case when England reached the final of the Euros in 2024, Bellingham grasped the nettle. Name an England player in history with more big game aura?
Oliver Kay: Jude Bellingham. The story of England’s campaign has been one of unconvincing performances rescued by huge contributions from their two outstanding players. At times it has been Harry Kane, but on this occasion it was Bellingham. Incidentally, did you know St Jude was the patron saint of lost causes? That quarter-final against Norway would have been one of them for England without Bellingham.
Phil Hay: France all round, as per. Once they got Morocco where they wanted them, pinned in and struggling to mount any sort of attacks, the French turned the screw superbly. The two goals were lethal, again, and they seem to be able to pull out finishes of the highest quality at will. To repeat what everybody has been saying: the trophy is theirs to lose.
Stu James: Jude Bellingham. England are in the semi-finals because of him — as simple as that, really. It seems crazy to think that there was a debate (among some) not that long ago about whether Bellingham should go to the World Cup. To follow up his performance in the Azteca with another two goals says everything. His influence on this England team is huge. In fact, he’s upstaging Harry Kane now.
Seb Stafford-Bloor: Jude Bellingham. England would not be in the semi finals without him and he continued a trend against Norway of turning up exactly when his side needed him. His first goal vividly described his technical quality. His second, the unending competitiveness with which he always seems to play; nobody else had the will or the heart to get to the rebound that ultimately won the game.
Adam Crafton: It’s Jude Bellingham but given everyone has said that I will mention John Stones. Stones is out of contract and 32 years of age after leaving Manchester City at the end of the season and had played 90 minutes only twice in 2026. For him to then go the full distance for England in the brutal Miami heat and humidity represented a mighty effort and he’s not had enough credit for his patience and positioning in that two-on-one where he narrowed angles for Sorloth to pass to Erling Haaland.
Henry Bushnell: Mbappe — though Michael Olise was also excellent for France. And Elliott Anderson also deserves a shout here for 120 tireless, all-action minutes against Norway. He helped create the equalizer, and when everyone else wilted in the Miami humidity throughout the second half and extra time, Anderson was still going.
Laura Williamson: Jude Bellingham. That ability to seize a game by the scruff of its neck and bend it to your will is such a special gift.
Are the best four teams left?
Harris: The official FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking table says yes, so who are we to disagree? In all seriousness, all four sides have world class match-winning talent, and incredible strength in depth throughout the rest of their squad. They probably are the four strongest sides.
Weese: I’d say yes. To use the NCAA Tournament equivalent, it’s if four No. 1 seeds advanced to the Final Four. This is a quartet of soccer powers with star players aplenty. It should provide a compelling conclusion to a memorable World Cup.
Hay: I’d say so. In fact, definitely. I went back through all 48 qualifiers and I can’t see a side who deserved to get much further than they did. The exception is probably Norway. They were good enough to merit a place in the last four — but that doesn’t mean England don’t deserve to be there, because they do.
Haaland won a lot of followers at the World Cup but is now out of the tournamentPhoto: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP via Getty Images
James: On paper, yes. That said, that England-Norway game could have gone either way. But we’ve got two thrilling semi-finals to look forward to now and, in my mind, four very different teams.
Horncastle: The last four are the top four in the FIFA rankings. Feels right.
Kay: Yes. And it’s a rare thing. And luckily for one of England and Argentina, the best two are on the other side of the draw.
Stafford-Bloor: Yes — certainly based on what we’ve seen at the tournament. Put it a different way: I can’t think of a team that deserves to be in the final four that is not there.
Crafton: Yes. But France have been playing on a different planet to the other three.
Bushnell: Yes, because there’s no clear next-best team. But among the semifinalists, there’s a clear top three, with England a small step below the rest.
Williamson: Yes. It’s almost like the four highest-ranked teams in the competition all won their groups and progressed to the semi-finals!
Who will be the key player in each semi-final?
Harris: Spain have only conceded once this entire tournament, but they have yet to face a truly devastating centre-forward who can attack their brave rest-defence structure with searing pace. It’s an unoriginal choice, but Kylian Mbappe could decide the first tie if he can time his runs in-behind.
The second semi-final features two other players in the race for the Golden Boot in Messi and Kane, but Bellingham only continues to illustrate his importance to this England side. Not just the critical goals, but the lung-busting runs to open up spaces for others and his defensive intensity in midfield.
Weese: I’ll go with Marc Cucurella in the first semifinal. He will have the primary assignment of Kylian Mbappe on the left flank. Spain’s conceded one goal so far this tournament. Cucurella will need to be sharp defensively.
In the second semifinal, I’ll go with Bellingham. He has braces in back-to-back games. If he can be a force in the midfield and go on the attack against a vulnerable Argentina defense, England has a chance to advance to the World Cup final for the first time since 19Yamal was confident Spain can beat FrancePhoto: VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images
Hay: Messi and Bellingham in Argentina versus England. Kylian Mbappe and Rodri in France versus Spain. Spain’s defensive approach has to be bang on to keep that French forward line out. It’s been a while since Rodri went all Ballon d’Or.
James: It’s hard to look beyond Mbappe in the France-Spain tie… so, naturally, I’m going to look beyond him. Playing with total freedom and supreme confidence, Michael Olise has been a joy to watch. As for England versus Argentina, how can you not mention Messi? Hang on, the same applies to Bellingham now.
Horncastle: Rodri. If Spain are to overcome France, they need to keep the ball away from Didier Deschamps’ attacking players. In the other one, the Argentina centre-backs have come up with big goals. Will Cuti Romero use his head again? Or will he lose it?
Kay: I have enjoyed watching Argentina’s No 10, a 39-year-old forward called Lionel Messi who plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. He’s one for England to look out for. France vs Spain? I’m sorry to state the obvious again, but it’s Mbappe.
Stafford-Bloor: To go slightly left field, Dayot Upamecano will need to have a very good game if France are to advance. The case for Mbappe or Olise writes itself, but so much happens in the Spanish attacking midfield and the team as a whole controls the ball so well, that the French are going to have to reach a new defensive standard in a game which will likely look different to all their others so far. England vs Argentina? Declan Rice. His withdrawal against Norway at half time was presumably forced, but his team were nowhere near as balanced or convincing without him. He has to play against Argentina and he has to play well.
Crafton: For France v Spain, I’m curious to see if Lamine Yamal can discover his best form against one of France’s less superstar names in Lucas Digne at left back. For England, can Bukayo Saka get on the field at the start and give 90 minutes at a high level? I have my doubts but it would make a world of difference.
Bushnell: I think the only way to beat France is to suck the life out of them by keeping the ball and squashing counterattacks before they get going — both of which Rodri can do for Spain. In the second semifinal … Messi.
Williamson: I worry about that England defence (and the midfield to be honest – I worry about a lot of things when it comes to England!) so I’ll say Jordan Pickford if we’re picking one player to stop Messi and Argentina. Then Rodri feels key for Spain against France, as others have mentioned.
Pick your finalists
Harris: France vs England. But it’s a 50-50 for me between Argentina and England — there are too many players who could potentially decide a game with a moment of quality.
New York Times
