By Nabakiibi Doreen Malaika
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is down to its final two, with Spain and Argentina booking their places in Sunday’s final after strong semi-final performances.
Spain were first through after beating France 2-0. They controlled the game, defended well and took their chances to bring France’s campaign to an end.
Argentina followed with a 2-1 victory over England in a tightly contested semi-final. The South Americans held their nerve against a determined English side to keep their hopes of lifting another World Cup alive.
The results set up a final between two of world football’s biggest names. France and England will meet in the third-place playoff before Spain and Argentina battle for the trophy on Sunday.
No African team reached the semi-finals, but the continent still produced some of the tournament’s standout moments. Several sides competed strongly and showed that African football continues to close the gap at the highest level.
With the World Cup nearing its conclusion, attention across the continent will soon turn to the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations. Africa’s leading teams will again compete for the continental title, with many players carrying experience gained from the World Cup.
For African football fans, the end of the World Cup will quickly give way to another major tournament as focus shifts to AFCON.
