Spain Reach World Cup Final as France Exit Sparks Refereeing Row and End of Deschamps Era

Spain defeated France 2-0 to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup final and equal the world record for the longest unbeaten run in international football, while Didier Deschamps’ final tournament with Les Bleus ended in controversy and criticism of the refereeing.

Spain have reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after a controlled 2-0 victory over France in the semi-final, extending one of the most impressive unbeaten runs in modern international football.

Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sent La Roja into the final, where they will face the winner of England and Argentina. The result also allowed Spain to match Italy’s world record of 37 consecutive matches without defeat, underlining the scale of the team’s transformation into one of the most consistent forces in the global game.

The semi-final in Arlington was decided by Spain’s balance, discipline and ability to control the rhythm of the match. Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Lamine Yamal was brought down, while Porro doubled the lead in the second half after combining with Dani Olmo. Spain’s defensive structure then limited France’s attacking stars and protected another clean sheet in a tournament where La Roja have looked increasingly mature.

For France, the defeat marked the end of a major era. Didier Deschamps, who has led the national team since 2012, is set to leave after the World Cup, closing a cycle that included the 2018 world title, the 2022 final and another deep run in 2026. His final campaign, however, will end with frustration rather than another title.

After the match, Deschamps questioned the level of the officiating and suggested that referee Ivan Barton may not have been the right choice for a World Cup semi-final. The main controversy centred on the first-half penalty awarded to Spain, although Deschamps also admitted that France had not done enough to control the match or impose their game.

The criticism came at a sensitive moment for FIFA, with refereeing and VAR already under heavy scrutiny during the knockout rounds. France did not frame the result purely as an officiating issue, but the reaction showed how quickly major decisions can shape the narrative around elite matches, especially when they occur in semi-finals involving two of the tournament’s biggest teams.

The defeat also accelerates the transition already expected in French football. Zinedine Zidane is widely reported to be the leading candidate to replace Deschamps after the tournament, with several reports indicating that a verbal agreement with the French Football Federation is already in place. If confirmed, his arrival would mark one of the most symbolic coaching changes in international football.

Zidane would inherit a talented but emotionally bruised squad. Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni and several younger players give France a strong foundation, but the next coach will need to restore tactical balance after a tournament in which France sometimes appeared more open and less controlled than in previous Deschamps teams.

For Spain, the story is very different. La Roja now enter the final not just as winners of a semi-final, but as a team chasing history. Their unbeaten run, defensive record and technical authority have made them one of the defining teams of the 2026 World Cup.

The final will now test whether Spain can turn consistency into a second world title. For France, the third-place playoff will be the last match of the Deschamps era. Beyond that, the focus will shift to Zidane, a new cycle and the challenge of turning a golden generation into champions again.