World Cup - Soccer Wiretap

Lamine Yamal declared Spain has nothing to fear ahead of Tuesday's World Cup semifinal against France in Arlington, Texas. The winger spoke to reporters following Spain's 2-1 quarterfinal win over Belgium on Friday.

Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute to send Spain past Belgium and set up the semifinal matchup. France advanced Thursday with a 2-0 win over Morocco.

The meeting will mark the third match between Spain and France in three years. Spain won both previous games, defeating France in the 2024 European Championship semifinals and the 2025 UEFA Nations League.

"If France should fear anyone, it's us," said Yamal. "We have knocked them out [before]. We have beat them two times. Honestly, I think we're the two best teams at the World Cup, so we'll see what happens, but we do not have any fear."

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente echoed Yamal's confidence ahead of the matchup.

"The expectations are very, very high for the next game," said de la Fuente. "We're concentrated on this next game and very well aware of the potential of our opponent at the next game. But also we are very clear that we are able to beat France.

"We have the quality and it's a semifinal again. We've had a semifinal against them. We were successful. The game will be very demanding. It'll be energetic. We'll need to have the best version of ourselves."

Spain has needed late goals to advance through the knockout rounds, with Merino scoring the decisive winners against both Portugal and Belgium. Yamal said opponents sitting deep against Spain has masked the team's quality.

"It may seem as if we're not playing great, but every team we play sits back against us," said Yamal. "No one has gone toe-to-toe with us, but in the end we got the win again today. That is the most important thing.

"We are really happy to be in the semifinal. We've been here for a long time now and we want to stay until the final."

This will be Spain's second World Cup semifinal appearance and first since winning the tournament in 2010. France is aiming to reach its third consecutive World Cup final. Yamal, who turns 19 on Monday, has scored one goal in six appearances at this tournament.

Mikel Merino scored an 88th-minute winner for the second time in three matches as Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 Friday in the World Cup quarterfinals in Los Angeles, per ESPN. Spain held a 1.96 to 0.34 edge in xG (expected goals).

Fabian Ruiz put Spain ahead in the 30th minute after Thibaut Courtois parried a Dani Olmo shot, with the ball deflecting off Timothy Castagne and into the net. Charles De Ketelaere leveled for Belgium 11 minutes later, powering a header from Castagne's cross past Unai Simon. The goal ended Spain's World Cup shutout streak at 650 minutes, dating to the 2022 group stage.

Belgium's afternoon unraveled in the final 20 minutes. Courtois was forced off in the 71st minute with an apparent thigh injury, visibly emotional as he departed. Replacement Senne Lammens could only parry Pau Cubarsi's long-range drive, and Merino reacted fastest to lift the loose ball into the net.

Belgium had also lost Youri Tielemans to injury before kickoff, with Hans Vanaken stepping in as a late replacement.

Merino reflected on his remarkable run of decisive contributions.

"It seems like a coincidence but, if you go in prepared, it can happen again," said Merino. "I'm thrilled. I doubt it will happen again, but we'll see.

"Two matches to win a World Cup is a dream come true. Hopefully we can achieve it."

Luis de la Fuente embraced the semifinal challenge ahead.

"It's an honor to coach a team so committed and eager to improve," said de la Fuente. "It's fair to think we can beat France. We're going to work hard for it. A great team is going to face another great team."

Spain meet France in the semifinals in Dallas. France are -144 favorites to advance with an implied probability of 59 percent, according to the latest World Cup odds.

Kylian Mbappe scored and assisted after missing a first-half penalty as France defeated Morocco 2-0 Thursday in the World Cup quarterfinals. France held a commanding 3.69 to 0.14 edge in xG (expected goals) and a 21-4 advantage in total shots.

Mbappe opened the scoring in the 60th minute before teeing up Ousmane Dembele six minutes later. Dembele's finish was his fifth goal of the tournament, coming after Mbappe drew defenders wide to create the opening.

The 60th-minute strike was Mbappe's 20th career World Cup goal in 20 appearances, pulling him within one of Lionel Messi's all-time record of 21 goals across 31 matches.

Mbappe had drawn a 25th-minute penalty when Noussair Mazraoui chopped him down in the box, but after a lengthy video review delay, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou guessed correctly and turned the attempt aside.

Morocco's best first-half chance came just before the break when Achraf Hakimi's free kick from outside the box drifted past the right post. The Atlas Lions registered just one shot on target throughout the match.

The result repeated France's 2-0 semifinal victory over Morocco at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the Atlas Lions became the first African nation to reach that stage.

France remain on course to become just the third nation to appear in three consecutive World Cup finals. Les Bleus face Spain or Belgium in the semifinals Tuesday in Dallas.

Jarell Quansah will sit out England's World Cup quarterfinal against Norway after receiving a two-match suspension for his red card against Mexico. The ban also rules him out of a potential semifinal if England advances.

Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of England's 3-2 round-of-16 win over Mexico following a VAR review for a high challenge on defender Jesus Gallardo. England finished the match a man down but held on to advance to Saturday's quarterfinal in Miami.

The suspension leaves England thin at right back heading into the match. Manager Thomas Tuchel is already monitoring Reece James, who has been out with a hamstring injury since the scoreless draw with Ghana and trained separately from the squad Wednesday.

England has cycled through several options at the position this tournament. Djed Spence started after Quansah was injured against Panama, Declan Rice finished as an emergency right back against Congo DR, and Ezri Konsa filled in following Quansah's dismissal against Mexico.

Sources told ESPN the Football Association considered its options for Quansah's ban after FIFA suspended USMNT striker Folarin Balogun's one-game ban and extended it to 12 months following intervention from President Donald Trump.

Tuchel voiced frustration over the precedent set by FIFA's decision on Balogun.

"Where does this start and where does this end now?" said Tuchel. "Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What's going on?

"Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that. Where does this end now? Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card. Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end?"

England will face Erling Haaland and Norway on Saturday in Miami without Quansah available.

Christian Pulisic sustained a bone bruise and microfracture in his leg during the United States' 4-1 World Cup loss to Belgium, according to sources briefed on the diagnosis who spoke with The Athletic. The forward is expected to miss several weeks, though not months.

Pulisic appeared to suffer the injury in the 52nd minute after his shot attempt collided with Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans' leg. He continued playing for several minutes before being substituted in the 59th minute.

"I just totally twisted my ankle and my knee in one play," said Pulisic following the match.

Medical evaluations later confirmed the injury as a bone bruise and microfracture of the tibia and fibula, according to sources. Pulisic was seen using crutches at the team hotel the following day.

The recovery timeline suggests Pulisic could return to action in August, potentially in time for AC Milan's Serie A opener against Torino on August 23.

This marked Pulisic's second injury of the tournament. He previously left the Paraguay match at halftime with a calf injury that also sidelined him against Australia, before returning for the Turkey match and starting against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Pulisic drew criticism following his postgame comments to Fox regarding the injury.

"It's just frustrating to end like that, of course, but now I have time to rest, so hopefully it'll be OK," said Pulisic.

Former USWNT star Carli Lloyd criticized the remarks on social media.

"You rest when your playing career is over. Period," wrote Lloyd.

AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim addressed Pulisic's situation Wednesday, expressing confidence in the winger heading into next season.

"I know he had some criticism after the World Cup elimination, but I am here to say we believe a lot in him, and have a clear plan to use all the qualities that he has," said Amorim. "Pulisic is really important for us."

The World Cup match between England and Mexico has surpassed the United States' game against Belgium to become the most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history, according to preliminary Nielsen figures.

More than 44 million viewers tuned into Sunday's matchup across both networks, with 23.2 million watching on Telemundo and 21.742 million on Fox. The combined total of 44.8 million exceeds the roughly 42 million who watched the U.S.-Belgium game one night later.

The Fox broadcast became the most-watched English-language World Cup telecast in U.S. history not involving the USMNT. Telemundo's audience set a new record for Spanish-language soccer coverage in the country.

Fox's viewership peaked at 25.715 million near the match's conclusion, as England held on with 10 men to secure a dramatic win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.

Nielsen's final figures are expected to rise further once complete data is compiled for both Sunday's and Monday's broadcasts.

The atmosphere inside Azteca Stadium matched the tournament's most intense environments. England's sizable American fanbase paired with Mexico's significantly larger following to produce the record viewership. The round of 16 matchup carried extra weight given Mexico's historic success at that venue.

Four quarterfinal matches remain on the schedule, though none are expected to match Sunday's viewership given their earlier broadcast windows. France faces Morocco on Thursday, followed by Spain against Belgium on Friday.

Saturday's doubleheader features Norway against England, followed by defending champion Argentina against Switzerland. That slate, featuring stars including Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Lionel Messi, holds the strongest chance of drawing the tournament's next major audience.

The two semifinals next week will air at 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will mean lower viewership in the United States regardless of the matchups. The final will be played on Sunday, July 19th at 3:00 PM ET with a rematch of 2022 featuring France and Argentina likely the matchup that would generate the biggest possible audience in the United States.

France enters the World Cup quarterfinals as the tournament favorite with 33 percent odds to win the title, according to the latest Polymarket odds. Argentina ranks second at 21 percent.

France and Argentina, who met in the 2022 World Cup final, are on opposite sides of the bracket and would meet in the final again if they each win their next two matches. France holds a 54 percent chance of winning its next two matches to reach the final.

France will first face Morocco in the quarterfinals, with a potential semifinal matchup against the winner of Spain and Belgium. Argentina will take on Switzerland before a possible semifinal against the winner between England and Norway.

Spain entered the tournament as a slight World Cup favorite ahead of France before slipping following a scoreless draw with Cape Verde. Cape Verde nearly upset Argentina in the subsequent round of 32.

Spain holds the best xG expected goals mark among remaining teams at +1.70, having yet to concede a goal this tournament. Argentina and France rank second and third in that category, with England, Morocco, Belgium and Norway trailing behind.

2026 World Cup Title Odds:

1. France: 33%
2. Argentina: 21%
3. Spain: 19%
4. England: 16%
5. Norway: 6%
6. Morocco: 3%
7. Belgium: 2%
8. Switzerland: 2%

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The United States' 4-1 World Cup round of 16 loss to Belgium drew 30 million viewers on Fox Monday night, setting a new record for English-language soccer broadcasts in the country, according to early Nielsen figures.

The preliminary numbers surpass the previous record of 26.4 million viewers, set just five days earlier during the Americans' match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1. Final ratings, which will incorporate additional data and out-of-home viewership, are expected later this week.

Viewership peaked between 9:15 and 9:30 p.m. during the second half, reaching 36.9 million viewers. Spanish-language figures from Telemundo and Peacock were not yet available, though combined totals across both broadcasts are likely to exceed 40 million.

The match carried added controversy after FIFA suspended a red card ban for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun shortly before kickoff, clearing him to play. U.S. Soccer reportedly threatened legal action against FIFA over the officiating decision that led to his ejection in the previous match.

President Donald Trump also addressed the situation, saying he personally contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino regarding the suspension.

The loss eliminates all three World Cup co-hosts from the tournament, following earlier exits by Canada and Mexico in the round of 16.

England's 3-2 win over Mexico on Sunday also set a ratings record, drawing 23.1 million viewers on Telemundo for the largest Spanish-language soccer audience in U.S. history.

Fox's five U.S. matches this tournament have averaged more than 21 million viewers. The 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France drew a combined 26.78 million viewers across English and Spanish broadcasts.

Netflix, Disney and YouTube are among several media companies interested in challenging Fox for U.S. broadcast rights to the 2030 and 2034 World Cup, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Amazon and Apple could also enter the bidding, potentially sparking a major competition for rights to the tournaments, sources told CNBC. Discussions between FIFA and prospective media partners are expected to begin within the next three months.

FIFA has signaled that English- and Spanish-language U.S. rights will likely be bundled together for the upcoming tournaments, a departure from how rights were sold for the 2026 World Cup, according to sources.

Fox paid $485 million for English-language rights to this year's tournament, according to The Athletic, while NBCUniversal's Telemundo paid $600 million for Spanish-language rights.

Media executives are reportedly budgeting between $1.5 billion and $2 billion for combined U.S. rights to each future tournament. FIFA last negotiated these rights in 2011, later extending that agreement through 2026.

Netflix, Disney and YouTube each view the World Cup as a significant opportunity to boost their streaming platforms, sources said. FIFA has already partnered with Netflix for Women's World Cup rights in 2027 and 2031.

Bundling the language rights together could drive up bidding while reducing overlap between competing broadcasters. Telemundo has attracted some English-speaking viewers through its Peacock streaming service, which costs less than Fox's streaming option.

If FIFA combines the language packages, NBCUniversal is unlikely to bid near the $2 billion threshold, according to sources, potentially ending Telemundo's involvement in future tournaments.

Viewership for this year's World Cup has been substantial. The United States' win over Bosnia and Herzegovina drew more than 26 million viewers on Fox, becoming the most-watched soccer broadcast in English-language television history.

The 2030 tournament will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, while Saudi Arabia will host in 2034, both presenting more challenging time zones for U.S. audiences compared to this year's North American event.

Switzerland defeated Colombia on penalties Tuesday in Vancouver to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. Colombia held a 1.03 to 0.35 edge in expected goals across a goalless 120 minutes at BC Place.

Substitute Ruben Vargas converted the decisive penalty after goalkeeper Gregor Kobel denied Cucho Hernandez. Earlier misses from Colombia's Davinson Sanchez and Switzerland's Manuel Akanji had kept the shootout tight before Kobel's intervention proved decisive.

The result ended Switzerland's long history of shootout failure. The Swiss had won just one of their previous six penalty shootouts across all competitions and had never won one at a World Cup, having lost their only prior attempt against Ukraine in 2006.

Coach Murat Yakin was candid in his relief afterward.

"It took an incredible fight. Cleverness and patience, too. And then the penalty shootout at the end, we finally broke the curse," said Yakin. "Just unbelievable emotions. The feeling during the decisive penalty is fantastic, indescribable. A huge compliment to Kobel as well; he's playing a fantastic tournament."

Akanji was self-critical about his miss.

"I told Muri that was the last penalty I'd ever take. It was disastrous," said Akanji. "I'm incredibly proud of how the team reacted. We didn't play that well -- especially offensively, we were lacking a lot. But we were compact as a team."

Captain Granit Xhaka acknowledged the scale of the next challenge.

"That's a great reward," said Xhaka. "Goal No. 1 has been achieved, but when you're in the quarterfinals, the hunger is even greater than before. Now comes the big challenge with one of the greatest players."

Switzerland face reigning champion Argentina on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.