Tchouaméni and Barcola start as France and Spain clash in World Cup 2026 semifinal

The first finalist of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be decided in Arlington tonight as France take on Spain in a blockbuster semifinal. Both managers have named their lineups. Didier Deschamps, whose side defeated Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals, has made a couple of tweaks. Aurélien Tchouaméni starts in midfield, while Bradley Barcola gets the nod on the left wing — a clear signal that Deschamps wants energy and verticality in the engine room and attack. Luis de la Fuente, after Spain’s 2-1 win over Belgium, has stuck with the same starting eleven that got the job done. No surprises from the Spanish camp. France XI: Maignan — Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne — Tchouaméni, Rabiot — Dembélé, Olise, Barcola — Mbappé. Subs: Samba, Risser, Gusto, Konaté, T. Hernández, L. Hernández, Lacroix, Koné, Kanté, Zaïre-Emery, Cherki, Akliouche, Thuram, Doué, Mateta. Spain XI: Simón — Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella — Rodri, Ruiz — Yamal, Olmo, Baena — Oyarzabal. Subs: Raya, J. García, Pubill, Grimaldo, E. García, Llorente, Merino, Gavi, Zubimendi, Pedri, Torres, Pino, Williams, V. Muñoz, Iglesias. Kickoff is set for 22:00 Kyiv time. Follow the action live on Football.ua.