After more than 100 games across three continents over the past five weeks, it’s finally time to crown a champion at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It will be a deserving champion, that much we know. For the first time since FIFA began ranking national teams in 1992, each of the four highest-ranked teams qualified for the semifinal round of a World Cup.
Tuesday saw Spain shock consensus title favorites France in a battle of European heavyweights in Dallas. La Roja thoroughly stifled Les Bleus’ high-octane attack as the Spanish earned their sixth clean sheet in seven World Cup matches.
Spain benefited early from a clumsy error by French left back Lucas Digne, who, while attempting to clear the ball from France’s penalty box, inadvertently kicked Spanish superstar Lamine Yamal to give Spain a penalty kick. Mikel Oyarzabal capitalized on the spot kick for his fifth goal of the tournament. Playing with a lead, Spanish tightened their grip on the match with precision passing and disciplined defending, while still posing a threat to France’s goal.
Right back Pedro Porro doubled Spain’s lead in the 57th minute off a fantastic combination play with midfielder Dani Olmo, capping off a hugely impressive performance by the reigning European Champions.
In the end, the most intelligent team at the World Cup decisively knocked out the most talented team, and maybe it shouldn’t be all that surprising. Spain also knocked France out of the 2024 EUROs and 2025 Nations League, and seem to completely have Kylian Mbappé and company’s number.
England and Argentina wrote the latest chapter of their storied World Cup rivalry Wednesday afternoon (after the column went to press) in the second semifinal. The two football-obsessed nations have produced some of the sport’s most iconic moments on this stage throughout the years, from Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” goals in 1986, to David Beckham’s infamous red card in 1998. Incredibly, Wednesday night marked the first match against England of Lionel Messi’s legendary career.
The road ends Sunday afternoon in New Jersey, site of what promises to be one of the most intriguing World Cup finals in recent memory, and a fitting conclusion for what’s been an unforgettable summer of soccer in North America.
Meanwhile, closer to home, Austin FC is just about back from hiatus as the Major League Soccer season resumes. The Verde and Black pick back up at Q2 Stadium Wednesday night when they take on the Seattle Sounders.
They will do so without midfielder Dani Pereira, whom the club effectively sold to CF Montréal in exchange for up to $2.35 million in general allocation money. ATXFC selected Pereira out of Virginia Tech with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Pereira started the club’s very first match and made a total of 165 appearances across five and a half seasons with Austin FC, third-most in the club’s history.
Austin FC remains on the hunt for a new sporting director following Rodolfo Borrell’s dismissal in May, which presumably means the club’s owners took matters into their own hands in closing the deal to transfer Pereira. It’s a hefty financial return that will give valuable flexibility to whoever eventually lands the sporting director job, but saying goodbye to well-established homegrown players is one of the tougher things for a fanbase to endure.
Before Borrell got the axe, however, he came to terms with impending free agent winger Przemysław Płacheta, who officially joined the club over the break. Płacheta hails from Poland and joins from Oxford United in England’s third division. The 28-year-old does have a handful of Premier League appearances to his name with Norwich City, as well as seven caps with Poland’s senior national team.
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This article appears in July 17 • 2026.
