England have the chance to return to the World Cup final for the first time since 1966 as they face defending champions Argentina in the semi-final. The match takes place at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, with an 8pm BST kick-off.
How England reached the semi-final
Jude Bellingham was the Three Lions’ hero last time out as his brace secured a nervy quarter-final defeat of Norway in Miami. England’s performance was a far cry from the swashbuckling showing they produced in beating Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in the last-16, and things will get no easier as they face up to a difficult semi-final.
Argentina's path to the last four
Argentina have refused to do anything the easy way this summer. They came dangerously close to exiting the tournament in the rounds of 32 and 16 as they were pushed all the way by a spirited Cape Verde and required a controversial late comeback to edge past Egypt. The 39-year-old Lionel Messi has been in inspired form, though, chalking up a remarkable eight goals and two assists in six appearances, the most recent of those contributions coming as he teed up Alexis Mac Allister’s opener in the 3-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland.
Where to watch England vs Argentina for FREE
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on BBC One, with coverage starting at 7pm BST ahead of an 8pm kick-off. Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via BBC iPlayer. Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Dom Smith at the ground. Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with BBC iPlayer, ITVX app and their websites.
England team news
Concern remains surrounding Declan Rice as he was hooked at half-time of England’s win over Norway after struggling with illness in the lead-up to the match. Thomas Tuchel insists the change was tactical, though. Marc Guehi shook off an injury to start that match, while Reece James came off the bench to feature for the first time since tweaking his hamstring in the group stage. Jarrell Quansah will serve the remainder of his two-match ban in this match, and will be available to feature in the final if England qualify. Jordan Henderson was named to the bench against Norway and was spotted on the touchlines in full match kit, but his broken wrist should prevent any involvement against Argentina. Tuchel may be tempted to rotate after his side were put through a gruelling 120 minutes of football in hot and humid conditions against Norway.
Argentina team news
Argentina have reached this stage of the World Cup without any serious injuries, but have survived a number of scares this tournament. Lionel Messi is also expected to be fit despite taking a whack to the eye against Switzerland, which required treatment at the time. Tottenham defender Cristian Romero was sent for scans last week amid fears of a calf injury, but was cleared and started against Switzerland. As with Tuchel, Lionel Scaloni may be forced to freshen up his starting XI after their exhausting quarter-final needed to be settled by extra-time.
England vs Argentina prediction
Both England and Argentina arrive at this juncture of the World Cup after tumultuous, dramatic campaigns, and there is a question to be asked as to which side has dealt better with the twists and turns of their run. Two of Argentina’s knockout ties have been settled by extra time and the third required an exhausting late comeback, and the hard yards will surely soon catch up to the reigning champions. They already seem to be affecting Messi. This will be another closely contested affair, and it may well be a case of survival of the fittest. England’s depth options have justified their inclusion so far in this tournament, and, as such, we expect the Three Lions to progress to the final in New York. England to win 2-1.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
It has been 21 years since England last faced Argentina, winning 3-2 in a friendly staged in Geneva as Michael Owen scored a brace. This will be their sixth meeting at a World Cup, though, and the breakdown is just about even across the previous five clashes. England have won three (1962, 1966, 2002), and Argentina two (1986, 1998). Overall, England have six wins, Argentina three, and five draws.
England vs Argentina match odds
England to win: 3/4. Argentina to win: 21/20. Odds via UK betting sites (subject to change). We aim to offer every online gambler and reader of The Standard a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews and offers from the UK's best online gambling companies. Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available for you now from BeGambleAware or Gamcare. Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms & Conditions apply to all offers.
