The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached its most dramatic stage, with England set to face Argentina and Spain lining up against France in a pair of semi-finals that have captured the imagination of fans across the globe. It is the kind of draw that reminds you why international tournament football occupies a unique place in the sport.

The prospect of England against Argentina alone carries decades of history — from disputed goals to red cards, from heartbreak to moments of pure theatre. Meanwhile, a France versus Spain contest featuring some of the most gifted players in La Liga and Ligue 1 has prompted debate in some quarters about whether it should simply have been saved for the final itself.

A Question Worth Asking

With the last four now set, BBC Sport has challenged fans to name every nation that has ever reached a World Cup semi-final — and it is a harder task than it might first appear. The tournament has been running since 1930, and while a handful of traditional powerhouses dominate the roll call, there are some genuinely surprising entries alongside the usual suspects.

Nations such as Brazil, West Germany and Germany, Italy and Argentina appear repeatedly, as you would expect. But the full list stretches further than that. Sweden reached the final in 1958 on home soil. The United States were semi-finalists in the very first tournament. South Korea famously went all the way to the last four on home turf in 2002. Turkey made it in the same year. Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Chile, Poland, and Portugal have all featured at various points across the competition's near-century of history.

England's Complicated Relationship With the Last Four

For England fans, the semi-final stage carries a particular emotional weight. The 1966 triumph at Wembley remains the only time England have lifted the trophy, and reaching the last four has historically proved the limit of their ambition in the tournaments that followed. The current run has consequently generated enormous excitement — and enormous pressure.

Harry Kane, speaking ahead of the Argentina match, acknowledged the significance of the occasion while insisting the squad's focus remains on performance rather than history. That is easier said than delivered when the opposition is Argentina and the stakes could not be higher.

Why This Matters Beyond the Quiz

There is something genuinely useful about tracing the semi-final records of World Cup nations. It strips away the noise and reveals which countries have consistently performed when the tournament reaches its decisive phase. Germany and Brazil between them account for a remarkable share of all semi-final appearances. Italy and Argentina are not far behind. France, with their back-to-back final appearances in 2018 and 2022, have established themselves firmly in that elite bracket — and will be looking to add to their tally again this week.

For nations appearing at the last-four stage for the first time, or returning after a long absence, the achievement carries a different kind of significance. It marks a generation of players rather than simply a single result.

The BBC Sport quiz covering every semi-final nation is available on their dedicated football quizzes page for those wanting to test their knowledge — and, according to BBC Sport, fans who tackled the quarter-finalists version in good numbers have already been putting their World Cup history to the test.

Whatever happens over the coming days, this semi-final line-up has the potential to produce moments that will be added to that long history — and talked about for years to come.

FAQs

Frequently asked

Who are the 2026 World Cup semi-finalists?
The four semi-finalists at the 2026 FIFA World Cup are England, Argentina, Spain, and France. England face Argentina in one tie, while Spain take on France in the other.
Has England ever won the World Cup?
Yes, England won the FIFA World Cup once, in 1966, when they hosted the tournament and beat West Germany 4–2 in the final at Wembley Stadium.
Which country has reached the most World Cup semi-finals?
Germany (including their earlier incarnation as West Germany) and Brazil are among the nations with the most World Cup semi-final appearances across the tournament's history, along with Italy and Argentina.