France is up against its toughest challenge of the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they meet Spain in the semifinal on Tuesday, July 14. There's no room for error when it's a place in the tournament's showpiece final at stake.
The World Cup knockout stage does not give points. Rather, each game will have to have a winner, and France's destiny will be decided solely by the outcome against Spain.
What Happens if France Wins Against Spain?
In the event of a penalty shootout or extra time, or if France wins in regulation, Les Bleus will advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for the third time in a row.
It would also be another World Cup final under Didier Deschamps, who has created one of the world's best teams in the last 10 years.
In the final, France will play the winner of England vs. Argentina, which takes place on Wednesday, July 15.
What Happens if France Draws Against Spain?
If the game is drawn after 90 minutes, neither team is eliminated. Rather, the semifinal will be extended to 30 minutes of extra time, which will be divided into two 15-minute periods.
If the teams are tied after extra time, the game will go into a penalty shootout, with the winner moving on to the World Cup final and the loser going to the third-place playoff.
There are no draws in the World Cup knockout stages.
What Happens if France Loses Against Spain?
France will be out of the running for the World Cup title if they lose in regulation, extra time, or on penalties. But their tournament will not come to an end right away.
Rather, France would advance to the third-place playoff, where they would play the loser of the other semifinal. The third and fourth place at the World Cup is decided by the match.
While it would be a huge blow for Kylian Mbappé and his team if they missed out on the final, it would still be a solid performance on the world's biggest stage if they finished third.
