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Both coaches have called it the same thing: a final before the final. France, the tournament favourites and its top-scoring team, meet a Spain side that has conceded a single goal in six matches. It is only their second-ever World Cup meeting — and Spain arrive having won three of the last four. Kick-off is 07:00 NZT Wednesday at AT&T Stadium, Dallas.
Tale of the tape
| France | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Form (last 5) | W-W-W-W-W | W-W-W-W-D |
| Route | 6-0-0, 16 GF · QF 2–0 Morocco | QF 2–1 Belgium · R16 1–0 Portugal |
| Goals for / against | 16 / 1–2 | fewer goals, 1 conceded all tournament |
| Outright odds | 2.37–2.50 | 4.20–4.33 |
| Coach | Didier Deschamps | Luis de la Fuente |
| Talisman | Mbappé (8 goals) | Yamal |
Outright odds (decimal), FanDuel via FOX / DraftKings via SI, 13 July ~14:15 ET → 14 July AM.
The 1X2
| Selection | Decimal odds |
|---|---|
| France win | 2.35 |
| Draw | 3.10 |
| Spain win | 3.10 |
FanDuel via CBS Sports, 13 July 19:49 ET. The draw and Spain shortened from 3.20 across the rest day; France held flat.
Head-to-head — Spain’s recent edge
Key battles
Team news
- France: Tchouaméni is back in full training and in the predicted XI after a thigh issue; Mbappé is passed fit after an ankle knock. If Tchouaméni is held back, Manu Koné starts.
- Spain: Nico Williams (thigh/groin) is pushing to start; Yéremy Pino’s injury was a shoulder sprain, not the feared collarbone fracture, and he is available. Neither side carries a suspension — yellow cards were wiped after the quarter-finals.
Sources: Football365; Yahoo/L’Équipe; Sports Mole; ESPN (11–14 Jul 2026).
Records on the line
Two milestones ride on this one. Deschamps manages his 26th World Cup match, passing West Germany’s Helmut Schön for the all-time record. Spain are unbeaten in a team-record 36 matches — a draw or win would tie Italy’s all-time record of 37.
"With the quality of the two teams offensively, I think we could think that is going to be a spectacular game." — Didier Deschamps (France coach), Jamaica Observer, 13 July 2026.
The Kiwi angle
A 07:00 NZT breakfast kick-off makes this a far easier watch than Europe’s late night. On the market, France are rightly favourites, but Spain’s defence, recent head-to-head and the shortening draw make the no-France-win side of the card the thinking punter’s play.
For today’s full card see the SF1 betting tips and the round-wide semi-finals preview. Team pages: France · Spain.
Where to bet (NZ): compare the France vs Spain markets in NZD at Boomerang Bet, ZotaBet or BetiBet — decimal odds, 18+.
Gamble responsibly. 18+. See NZ betting law and set a limit.
