England vs Argentina live online: stats, preview, goals and highlights | World Cup 2026 semifinal
There is one spot in the World Cup final from New York and today that spot is up for grabs as Harry Kane and England take on Lionel Messi and Argentina.
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The race for the Golden Boot
Lionel Messi is now in pole position to win the Golden Boot after Kylian Mbappe was booted out of the World Cup yesterday against Spain, leaving his goal scoring mark at 8. Messi is tied for that lead with 8 goals himself but one today will assure that he moves to the top of the list. That is assuming that neither Harry Kane, nor Jude Bellingham score a hat trick today. Both of the England players have six goals to their name. Erling Haaland scored seven goals his World Cup debut, but it's the Argentine looking to score at least one more goal to top the Golden Boot race and help move his team on to a second straight final.
World Cup winner odds
Taking a look at the odds of the three teams left in the tournament we see Spain with the best odds after beating France yesterday. That could be because they have only one more match to win where England and Argentina will have to get through today before thinking about winning it all. Spain are paying (-152), while England pay (+300) and Argentina pay (+400).
FIFA World Rankings
Taking a look at the FIFA World Rankings after France’s loss to Spain yesterday we see Spain at the top of the rankings for the first time all tournament. France dropped to second in the standings with Argentina dipping to third for the first time all World Cup. They came into this tournament in the top spot but after a few tough knockout matches they have dropped down to third but still lead England who sit in fourth in the standings.
Who's winning the travel battle?
Say what you want, but in the span of a month and some change with six games in the bag and tonight being the seventh for both teams, in a tournament that was spread out between three countries, travel matters. England are coming into this semifinal having covered a whole lot more miles than their opponents for tonight’s game. To be exact they have traveled 2,187 more miles than Argentina, and that could come into play here tonight. While that may be the case, Argentina’s last game was in Kansas City were England’s was just down the road in Miami.
Spain moving on to final
There weren't a lot of people around the world who were expecting what we saw from Dallas on Tuesday. France came into the semifinal rolling past the competition with their potent attacking foursome. They went up against a Spain team that was disciplined and had the perfect tactical plan to stop France’s front four. The midfield dominated for Spain, and Mbappe, Dembele, Olise and Doue/Barcola were rendered helpless. A goal from the spot by Mikel Oyarzabal and a second half strike from Pedro Porro affirmed the dominance from La Roja as they stunned France and advanced to their first World Cup final since 2010.
RdP starts on bench
Rodrigo de Paul has been dropped from the XI by Scalonli for this semifinal match up. He had started every match but the one against Jordan in which they already had the top spot in the group locked up. He is Messi's right hand man, but Messi will have to do without him at least for the first portion of this match.
An England Oasis in NY/NJ?
Liam Gallagher is a well known Manchester City fan, on top of being one of the most famous singers in the world. His band's song Oasis has been adopted as the victory cry for England after their wins in this World Cup. He made a promise on social media earlier in this campaign, and he is one win away from having to deliver on that bet. Click to read more.
England take the pitch
It's the calm before the storm. Jude Bellingham and the England side are out on the pitch and getting ready for the biggest match of their lives. The stage couldn't be much bigger. The scene is set. The match: historic. We are only a few minutes away from the action starting in from Atlanta.
Most memorable ARG vs. ENG matches
As we mentioned earlier, thanks to Jennifer Bubel's article, this is the 15th match up between these two sides. There have been some memorable matches, fantastic goals and historic performances. Our William Allen is here to remind you of all of those points of reference in this massive international derby.
Jude vs. Tuchel: rift arising?
Might there just be a little tension in the dressing room of the Three Lions? After the win over Norway in the quarters Thomas Tuchel was awfully critical of his teams performance. He didn't question the mentality, which he made sure to defend but he didn’t not like how his team played and Jude was asked about Tuchel’s post match comments. Jude was direct, and didn’t mix his words. He said, “Maybe that means he doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those kind of conditions against Erling Haaland, (Martin) Odegaard, (Antonio) Nusa, (Alexander) Sorloth,” He continued, “That’s not an easy team to play against. I think we’ve tried to create a positive environment — we should continue that going into the final four.”
Hand of God history lesson
These two teams can't play each other without mentioning one of the most famous plays, and goals in the history of the sport. It was the quarterfinal of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. England and Argentina locked in goalless battle coming out of halftime, but in the 51st minute Maradonna scores a goal on a ball sent into the box to put Argentina on the board first. After seeing the review it was evident the No.10 deflected the ball with his hand, but the goal would go down in history as Argentina won the game and would go on to win their second star two games after the Hand of God. Our Calum Roche has more.
Attacking potential, defensive liabilities
Say what you want about this Argentina side, but they know how to score goals. It helps when the star of the team scored more than a goal a game, but this is the top scoring team in the tournament. Argentina have scored three goals in each of their last four games, and in five of their six matches during this World Cup campaign. France was second with 16 goals coming into the semifinals, but they are out of the tournament, and Belgium were third with 14 goals through the quarterfinals while England are third with Norway coming into the semis with 13. Argentina have also allowed 6 goals in 6 matches, the same as England but a long way away from the 1 goal that finalists Spain have allowed all tournament.
Argentina's other guys
With Messi dominating the opposition, it’s easy to get caught up in the magic of the Argentina maestro. The only problem is, he is 39 years old and just how long can he continue to make the difference? The other question is who is going to step up is Messi can't carry this team today? Messi has scored 8 of the 17 goals, with one of those coming on an own goal from Cabo Verde. Lautaro Martinez is the only one who has scored multiple goals in this World Cup, with two. Julian Alvarez scored in extra time last game, but has had a sub par tournament. Cuti Romero, Enzo Martinez, Lisandro Martinez, Alexis Mac Allister and Giovani Lo Celso have all scored a goal each.
Back to back World Cup winner
Argentina have a chance to join an elite list of World Cup winners who have won back to back tournaments. It hasn't happened in over six decades and has only happened twice in the history of the tournament. Our William Allen has more.
All time series record: ARG-ENG
There is lots of tension between these two teams, we already know that. Historically, politically and sportingly there is no love lost between England and Argentina. This will be the fifteenth meeting between these two teams. Our Jennifer Bubel has the entire historical break down of those first 14 encounters.
World Cup history: England
For the Three Lions the history of the country that invented the game at the World Cup is a bitter one. They have been in every World Cup except three since 1950 when the joined FIFA. Their one and only star came in 1966 when they beat West Germany 4-2, and ever since then they have been trying to bring it home, but to no avail. They have reached this stage of the tournament twice before, in 1990 and in 2018 but lost to West Germany in 1990 and to Croatia in extra time in 2018.
World Cup history: Argentina
Argentina have been powerhouses in this tournament since the very first World Cup. They finished runners-up in the inaugural World Cup in 1930, losing to Uruguay. They got their first star in the 1978 World Cup, winning it on their home soil, and then again eight years later in Mexico thanks to Diego Maradona's Hand of God goal which got them through the quarterfinals. They would get runner up in the 1990 World Cup, but would have to wait over three decades to earn a third star. They got close in Brazil back in 2014, but lost in the final to Germany. Finally, Messi got his World Cup and Argentina snapped their 32 year drought in Qatar four years ago. Now they are back in the semis for the sixth time and looking for their fourth star.
Starting XI Argentina
Lionel Scaloni has his XI set for this World Cup semifinal. He is going with Martinez in goal behind Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martinez and Tagliafico in the back. Giuliano Simone gets the nod with Paredes, Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez in the middle. Messi will be floating around behind Julian Alvarez.
Star watch: Argentina
Who else would we put in the star watch section of the preview than Lionel Messi? What did he do in the first game of his then record setting sixth World Cup in which he participated? He scored a hat trick. At 39 years old he is tied at the top of the Golden Boot race with 8 goals and is having the best World Cup of his historic career. He is now looking for a second straight World Cup, and has been the protagonist in leading this side to the semis. Messi knows the job is not done, and after not scoring for the first time in this World Cup against Switzerland last game you know he will be looking to put his name on the scoresheet yet again.
Star watch: England
Harry Kane was the best goal scorer in the world this season. He is simply sensational, but for the star watch portion of the preview there is no way we can overlook Jude Bellingham. The midfielder who many doubted would even make the team, let alone be in the XI, has been in the best form of his career on the biggest stage. He has four goals in the last two matches and has single handily advanced England through to the semis in the last two rounds. He has 6 goals and 1 assist, but more than that it's been his presence, his aura and his injection of belief and perseverance that has been so instrumental in the middle of the park for England. He has become a national hero over the last month and today he has a chance to build his legacy even more.
Minutes racking up
England's road has been, on paper, harder than Argentina’s. They had to play Mexico in altitude in a stadium that El Tri hardly ever lose. Then they have to play Norway in the middle of a Miami summer day. That match went to extra time, which accounts for an extra 30 minutes of group stage soccer, but Argentina have to come into this match with the tank some what empty. They went to extra time in two of their three knockout matches and if it wasn’t for a 2-0 comeback and a stoppage time goal against Egypt that would be three ETs in three KO matches. Messi is 39 years old and has carried this team in this tournament. How much more can he give this team after a grueling last week and a half.
Cup cake run for defending champs?
It has nothing to do with Argentina, or the organizers, but Argentina have made it to the semis without really having to play anyone that could be considered a top side in this tournament. The FIFA World Rankings began in 1992 and since the 1994 World Cup, no team has reached a semifinal without playing a top 15 opponent. Argentina has played Algeria (28), Austria (24), Jordan (63), Cabo Verde (67), Egypt (29) and Switzerland (19) in this tournament. Call it the luck of the draw, but England is a top five team, and if Argentina are going to get to the final, they are going to have to earn it.
How they got here: Argentina
Argentina have been carried on the shoulders of their 39 year old superstar who has been as good as ever since the start of this tournament. Messi started this World Cup off with a hat trick over Algeria. Then he scored two against Austria to clinch the top spot in the group. Argentina played Jordan in the final match of group stages, and they would breeze past the debutants. The group stages is where things would get tricky. They needed extra time to get past Cabo Verde, then a comeback win over Egypt after going down 2-0 before another extra time match against Switzerland. It hasn't been easy, but here they are in the semis, once again.
Starting XI: England
Thomas Tuchel has his XI for this semifinal match from Atlanta. It's Pickford in the goal with James, Stones, Guehi and Spence in the back with Anderson, Rice and Rodgers in the middle of the park. Gordon, Bellingham and Kane up top.
How they got here: England
England got their World Cup started off on the right foot with a fantastic performance against Croatia in what was a high scoring exhibition. A warning shot was send by the Three Lions after their first 90 minutes but a 0-0 draw against Ghana would throw a could of doubt over the England camp. They would right the ship with a 2-0 win over Panama to close out the group stages at the top of the table. DR Congo played them tough in the round of 32, taking the lead early on but a late brace from Harry Kane would see England through. Then they took on Mexico in altitude from the Azteca and had to grind out a win after going down a man. They recovered from that match and beat Norway in a sweltering quarterfinal from Miami to make it to their first semi since 2018.
Last game: Argentina
Unlike the round of 16 match against Egypt, Argentina took the lead early on against Switzerland thanks to an Alexis Mac Allister header off a corner kick in the 10th minute. Switzerland would rebound and look the better side for large portions of the match until finally they leveled the game with a goal from Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute. Argentina looked on the ropes but a VAR review would lead to Breel Embolo being shown a second yellow for simulation and the Swiss were forced to play with a man down for the final 17 minutes of the 90 and into the extra time session. In extra time Julian Alvarez scored a golazo from outside the area, and Lautaro Martinez polished off the game with a stoppage time goal right before the final whistle to move Argentina one step closer to the final.
Last game: England
Thomas Tuchel said his team didn't play well against Norway in the quarterfinals from Miami, but Jude Bellingham played the hero for the second straight game. He scored both goals after Norway took an early lead in the 36th minute. Andreas Schjelderup nodded home a header to stun England, but Jude Bellingham leveled the score with a bit of brilliance in stoppage time of the first half. Norway would pack it in for the second half and England struggled to create chances. The match went to extra time and and in the third minute of the first session Bellingham was there to tuck home a rebound off a shot from Morgan Rogers and England held on to close out Norway and book their ticket to the semis.
We are live from Atlanta
Hello everyone and welcome to Georgia where there is one spot left in Sunday's World Cup final and today we have 90 minutes to find out which of these two teams will be heading to New York/New Jersey. England have been trying to bring it home for much too long, and this might be the best chance they have had or will have for a while. Standing in the way is a team that they know well. There is no love lost between Argentina and England and the defending champions will be looking to rain on the parade and continue their quest for a second straight World Cup and send Lionel Messi off into the sun with a proper farewell.
England vs. Argentina: World Cup semifinal live
Two icons of the game, loaded with history and prestige. One team looking to end a World Cup drought that stretches back 60 years. Another hoping for a repeat run to the final and a dream send off for one of the best that ever was. England play Argentina in a rivalry that runs rich and runs deep and AS English will be with you all afternoon providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of this second semifinal from Atlanta.
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