England v Argentina
Semi-Final
FIFA World Cup 2026
8pm BST, Wednesday 15 July 2026
Atlanta Stadium

Head-to-head

England will meet Argentina for the first time in 21 years when they go head-to-head in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals in Atlanta.

Wednesday’s meeting will be the latest installment of the England-Argentina rivalry at the World Cup, with the two nations having clashed five times on the world stage previously.

They met in 1962, 1966, 1986, 1998 and 2002, with England coming out on top in their last meeting in Japan thanks to David Beckham’s penalty.

Argentina are the reigning World Champions having triumphed in Qatar four years ago, which was their third World Cup triumph and first in 36 years.

England have played 14 times since their first meeting back in 1951, with the Three Lions winning on six occasions, drawing five and losing three (once on penalties).

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Thomas Tuchel has named his team to play Argentina in the FIFA World Cup semi-final, making three changes to the side which played Norway in the quarter-final.

Morgan Rogers, Djed Spence and Reece James come into the line-up, replacing Noni Madueke, Nico O’Reilly and Ezri Konsa, as the Three Lions look to reach their first men’s senior World Cup Final in 60 years.

The match in Atlanta kicks-off at 8pm BST and can be watched in the UK via the BBC. You can also follow the match in the England app via our live blog or follow via our live commentary and stats right here in the Match Centre.

England: 1 Jordan Pickford, 4 Declan Rice, 5 John Stones, 6 Marc Guéhi, 8 Elliot Anderson, 9 Harry Kane (c), 10 Jude Bellingham, 17 Morgan Rogers, 18 Anthony Gordon, 24 Reece James, 25 Djed Spence

Substitutes: 2 Ezri Konsa, 3 Nico O'Reilly, 7 Bukayo Saka, 11 Marcus Rashford, 12 Trevoh Chalobah, 13 Dean Henderson, 14 Jordan Henderson, 15 Dan Burn, 16 Kobbie Mainoo, 19 Ollie Watkins, 20 Noni Madueke, 21 Eberechi Eze, 22 Ivan Toney, 23 James Trafford

England’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign came to an end at the semi-final stage with a 2-1 defeat to Argentina.

Late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez dramatically overturned Anthony Gordon’s opener to send the defending champions to Sunday’s final against Spain.

The Three Lions, contesting their second semi-final in the last three World Cups, took the lead when Gordon tapped home Morgan Rogers’ cross but it was not enough to earn a first World Cup final berth since 1966.

Argentina struck back, first through a Fernandez effort from outside the box before Martinez headed home the winner in the third minute of injury time to set up a chance to defend their title.

England will face France in the bronze medal match on Saturday 18 July (10pm BST) in Miami.

A robust start to proceedings saw little in the way of chances for either side, but it was Thomas Tuchel’s men who saw more of the ball in the opening exchanges.

An excellent run by Jude Bellingham earned a free kick in a dangerous area just after the half hour and John Stones came close to directing his header past Emiliano Martinez.

Bellingham was fouled again on the edge of the box, and this time Reece James curled an effort on target that was comfortably repelled by Martinez.

Argentina then tried had their first sight of goal as Fernandez let fly from distance, but the Chelsea midfielder could not find the target.

The first chance of the second half came inside two minutes of the restart, as Julian Alvarez latched onto a long ball and flashed a strike that was batted away by Jordan Pickford.

Alvarez then fired on goal again seconds later, with Pickford once more equal to turn round the post.

The breakthrough came just under ten minutes later, as Gordon converted Rogers’ cross.

Rogers found space on the right and whipped a brilliant all into the six-yard box and Gordon was on hand to guide it home.

Argentina had a golden chance to equalise just two minutes later when Giuliano Simeone was played through on goal only to be denied by a perfectly timed tackle by Djed Spence.

The South Americans were now applying more pressure as they searched for a way back into the contest but it was England who were next to draw a save, as Declan Rice’s long-range effort was easily taken by Martinez.

Pickford then produced an excellent reaction save to keep England ahead, as Nico Gonzalez nodded low to his right from a Lionel Messi cross.

Alexis Mac Allister then headed onto the post from a similar position with 15 minutes remaining as Argentina ratcheted up the pressure in search of an equaliser.

The Liverpool midfielder met another cross a minute later but this time his effort was straight at Pickford.

The Argentinian attack continued with Gonzalez the next to go close, with his header from an acute angle just wide of the post.

Pickford was then called into action again as Fernandez once more tried his luck from distance, with the England stopper tipping over the bar.

But the midfielder was not to be denied and rifled home from the edge of the box after Argentina worked a short corner and level proceedings with five minutes to go.

The momentum remained with the reigning world champions and Mac Allister fired a shot against the post in the second minute of injury time.

The winner then came seconds later, as Martinez headed home at the back post from a Messi cross.

England: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton); 24 Reece James (Chelsea), 5 John Stones, 6 Marc Guehi (Manchester City), 25 Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur); 4 Declan Rice (Arsenal), 8 Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), 10 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), 17 Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), 18 Anthony Gordon (Barcelona); 9 Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Substitutes: 2 Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) for Gordon 72’, 15 Dan Burn (Newcastle United) for Rice 82’, 3 Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City) for James 82’, 22 Ivan Toney (Al Ahli) for Stones 90’, 11 Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) for Spence 90’

Subs not used: 7 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), 12 Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), 13 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), 14 Jordan Henderson (Brentford), 16 Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), 19 Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), 20 Noni Madueke (Arsenal), 21 Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), 23 James Trafford (Manchester City)

Head coach: Thomas Tuchel

Goals: Anthony Gordon 55'

Argentina: 23 Emiliano Martinez; 26 Nahuel Molina, 13 Cristian Romero, 6 Lisandro Martinez, 3 Nicholas Tagliafico; 5 Leandro Paredes, 17 Giuliano Simeone, 20 Alexis Mac Allister, 24 Enzo Fernandez; 9 Julian Alvarez, 10 Lionel Messi

Substitutes: 15 Nicolas Gonzalez for Paredes 64’, 7 Rodrigo De Paul for Simeone 73’, 4 Gonzalo Montiel for Molina 73’, 19 Nicolas Otamendi for Martinez 73’, 22 Lautaro Martinez for Tagliafico 81’

Subs not used: 1 Juan Musso, 2 Marcos Senesi, 8 Valentin Barco, 11 Giovani Lo Celso, 12 Geronimo Rulli, 14 Ezequiel Palacios, 16 Thiago Almada, 18 Nico Paz, 21 Jose Manuel Lopez, 25 Facundo Medina

Head coach: Lionel Scaloni

Goals: Enzo Fernandez 85', Lautaro Martinez 90+3'