The FIFA World Cup 2026 reaches the semi-final stage with Argentina, France, Spain, and England—each of whom has previously won the tournament. Multiple outlets highlight that this is a rare occurrence: it is only the third time in World Cup history where all four semi-finalists are former champions, after the editions in 1970 and 1990. The four teams collectively hold seven World Cup titles.
Argentina is described as the most successful among the remaining sides, with three championships (1978, 1986, and 2022) and is also noted as the defending champion. France has won twice (1998 and 2018), Spain has won once (2010), and England has won once (1966). The semi-final matchups are reported as France against Spain, and England against Argentina. With every semi-finalist already a former champion, the final is guaranteed to feature former winners, and at least one more World Cup trophy will be added to the achievements of a previous champion.
