World Cup 2026: France Advances to Semifinals with Mbappe Leading the Charge

France has secured its spot in the World Cup 2026 semifinals following a decisive 2-0 victory over Morocco. The team, led by captain Kylian Mbappe, continues its campaign in North America and is now preparing to face either Spain or Belgium in the next round. The semifinal match is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, with a 3 p.m. ET kickoff at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Mbappe, who recently transferred to Real Madrid, brings significant international pedigree to the tournament. He scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final against Argentina and was the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals. Despite his club success—recording 86 goals in 103 appearances for Real Madrid—he has yet to secure a Champions League title with his new squad, making the World Cup a critical opportunity for him to reaffirm his status on the global stage.

The French squad has navigated the tournament with strong performances, winning all group stage matches against Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. They advanced through the knockout rounds with victories over Sweden and Paraguay before shutting out Morocco in the quarterfinals. As the tournament progresses, viewership metrics are expected to remain high, providing a substantial platform for broadcasters holding media rights.

Fox Corporation, which operates in the entertainment sector and produces and licenses sports content, is among the key players in the sports media landscape. As the tournament reaches its critical stages, networks with significant sports programming portfolios often see increased engagement. Fox Corporation was recently trading at $53.74, up 1.79% from the previous close.

France Tournament Schedule

• June 16: Defeated Senegal 3-1 (Group Stage) at MetLife Stadium
• June 22: Defeated Iraq 3-0 (Group Stage) at Lincoln Financial Field
• June 26: Defeated Norway 4-1 (Group Stage) at Gillette Stadium
• June 30: Defeated Sweden 3-0 (Round of 32) at MetLife Stadium
• July 4: Defeated Paraguay (Round of 16) at Lincoln Financial Field
• July 9: Defeated Morocco 2-0 (Quarterfinal) at Gillette Stadium
• July 14: Semifinal vs. Spain/Belgium at AT&T Stadium

What to watch

The semifinal matchup on July 14 will determine France’s opponent in the final. As the tournament concludes, broadcasters will release quarterly viewership data, which may provide insight into audience engagement levels for major sporting events.

Source: original release