{"id":36143,"date":"2026-07-14T05:23:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T09:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/world-cup-2026-france-v-spain-semi-final-buildup-atlanta-police-step-up-security-for-england-v-argentina-live-world-cup-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T05:23:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T09:23:19","slug":"world-cup-2026-france-v-spain-semi-final-buildup-atlanta-police-step-up-security-for-england-v-argentina-live-world-cup-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/world-cup-2026-france-v-spain-semi-final-buildup-atlanta-police-step-up-security-for-england-v-argentina-live-world-cup-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup 2026: France v Spain semi-final buildup; Atlanta police step up security for England v Argentina \u2013 live | World Cup 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Key events<\/p>\n

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How about some more love for the Yamal clan?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is just delightful. Ashifa Kassam, in Madrid, tells the story of Lamine\u2019s younger brother, three-year-old Keyne, who has become a social media darling:<\/p>\n

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France are chasing rare history tonight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Victory would take them into a third consecutive World Cup final. Only Brazil, between 1994 and 2002, and West Germany, between 1982 and 1990, have previously managed that.<\/p>\n

This is their seventh semi-final appearance, and their fifth in the past eight tournaments<\/p>\n

Spain, meanwhile, are playing in only their third World Cup semi-final. Their previous appearances came in 1950 and during their title-winning campaign in 2010.<\/p>\n

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In a game that could come down to the finest margins, France hold a slight advantage.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spain have travelled approximately 16,000km farther<\/strong><\/em> than their opponents during this World Cup.<\/p>\n

Spain based themselves in Chattanooga and have crossed three time zones to play their matches. France, meanwhile, have remained at their Boston base and tonight will play outside the Eastern time zone for the first time.<\/p>\n

Alex Baena admitted Spain are \u201ca little tired from so much travel.\u201d I\u2019m not surprised. Though I doubt they\u2019ve been flying coach on Delta Air.<\/p>\n

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Dave Skinner offers a personal view of the England v Argentina rivalry.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I hope his experience is not ubiquitously shared and that there are fans from both nations who get along:<\/p>\n

double quotation markWe spent 5 weeks in Brazil for the World Cup in 2014 and, due to some quirk in the group qualification procedures, spent very little of it following England. We instead hung out with many of the other nations\u2019 fans during that time, and the only ones that we received open hostility from were Argentinians. We were accused of stealing their islands on multiple occasions.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Argentinians received their own share of hostility too though. I was lucky enough to attend the Argentina v Iran group stage match and wore a Kingstonian shirt. I\u2019d decided that I would swap the Ks shirt with the first person who asked to do so. After the match (Messi last minute winner, obviously), an Argentinian fan came up and asked to swap. I then had to walk back to the centre of Belo Horizonte wearing an Argentina shirt with Zanetti on the back. Now, not only did most of the Argentinians still despise me for my thinly disguised Englishness, but all the Brazilians hated me for wearing an Argentina shirt too. I sold that hot potato to some kid in a Salvador hostel ASAP and bought a Esporte Clube Bahia shirt instead. I sometimes wonder if the Argentinian bloke is still shunned in his hometown for wearing the shirt of an 8th tier English football club when he arrived home.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sports fans really can be silly sometimes.<\/p>\n

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One of Spain and France will have to chase a game for the first time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here is another indication of just how imposing these two sides have been: neither France nor Spain has trailed at any point during this World Cup.<\/p>\n

France have outscored their opponents 14-2, while Spain went a tournament-record 650 minutes without conceding before Belgium finally found a way past Unai Sim\u00f3n.<\/p>\n

Unless we get all the way to penalties with the score locked at 0-0, one of these teams will enter uncharted territory.<\/p>\n

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The more I hear Lamine Yamal speak, the more I wish nothing but the best for the kid who just turned 19.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He responded to former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy\u2019s remark that France are a great team but \u201cdid not have any French players\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow we\u2019ll play a brilliant match but, if football serves any purpose, it\u2019s to bring people together,\u201d Yamal said. \u201cFrance and Spain are examples of integration. That\u2019s what football is all about: integration. Not talking about what someone else has said.\u201d<\/p>\n

The son of a Moroccan father and Equatorial Guinean mother, he has already shown support for the people of Palestine and refugees around the world.<\/p>\n

A superstar athlete with a moral compass. Protect this person at all costs.<\/p>\n

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I really enjoyed this interview with Rodrigo Hern\u00e1ndez.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Or Rodri, as I think most of us will know him.<\/p>\n

I love the tightrope he walks here. Confident in his own team but complimentary of the opposition. Sure, all these elite athletes are media trained and adept at saying the right things, but I think he does a good job coming across as sincere throughout.<\/p>\n

Credit to Sid Lowe (who really is very good).<\/p>\n

<\/span>Rodri there.<\/span> Photograph: Pablo Garcia\/The GuardianShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a004.43 EDT<\/p>\n

More from Ed Aarons in Miami.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, football is a team sport, and yes, Argentina have a stacked side, and yes, England, in my opinion, are the better team.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s hard to ignore the diminutive elephant in the room. You know, the one with magic in his left boot who seems to operate on a different plane to everyone else.<\/p>\n

This will be the first time Lionel Messi plays England. Woah!<\/p>\n

Also, can I suggest a drinking game for tomorrow night? Do a shot every time the camera cuts to David Beckham, or the commentator mentions him. My sense is you\u2019ll be blotto before half-time.<\/p>\n

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Speaking of the big fixture tomorrow, here are three players who remember the dramas of 1998 and 2002.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rob Draper spoke with Diego Simeone, Michael Owen and Glenn Hoddle to get their thoughts on two iconic matches between England and Argentina at the World Cup.<\/p>\n

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Atlanta police increase security for England v Argentina<\/h2>\n

Atlanta police are increasing staffing and resources for Wednesday\u2019s World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina.<\/p>\n

The department says<\/a> additional officers will be deployed around the stadium and across the city\u2019s entertainment and high-traffic areas, with large crowds expected before and after the match:<\/p>\n

double quotation markAs Atlanta prepares to host an upcoming World Cup semi-final match and welcomes increased numbers of residents and visitors, the Atlanta Police Department has enhanced its citywide public safety and security posture. Additional personnel and resources are already deployed and will continue to be strategically assigned in and around the event venues, entertainment districts, and other high-traffic areas to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. These proactive measures are designed to protect the public, deter criminal activity, and ensure residents and visitors can safely enjoy this historic event.\u201d<\/p>\n

The precautions come amid increased attention in the rivalry between the countries. Argentina\u2019s April 2 War Veterans Federation has urged supporters to keep politics out of the occasion, describing the semi-final as \u201cnot an armed rematch nor historical compensation\u201d.<\/p>\n

A fairly sensible request. It is a football match, albeit one unlikely to feel like an ordinary one.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a003.52 EDT<\/p>\n

Elliot Anderson covered a whopping 14.8km against Norway in the stifling heat of Miami.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ed Aarons writes about the all-action midfielder from Kansas City:<\/p>\n

<\/span>Elliot Anderson in action against Norway.<\/span> Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell\/APShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a004.44 EDT<\/p>\n

Krishna Moorthy has written in.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I knew it wouldn\u2019t be too long before he did.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning Daniel. Three Ballon d\u2019Or winners of the last three years are involved in the semifinals. With a delectable one on one clash tonight. Both teams tonight also have in them a runners up. Clash of the titans indeed\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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We\u2019ve been promised attack versus defence before, but France v Spain really fits the bill.<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to Opta, France arrive in Dallas with the most productive attack at the World Cup. Spain bring the stingiest defence recorded at the tournament in the modern statistical era. Something, as they say in the disaster films, has to give.<\/p>\n

Here are the numbers:<\/p>\n