2026 World Cup Power Rankings After the Semifinals
After a thrilling semifinal round, the 2026 World Cup final is set.
Spain will take on Argentina in a battle between the reigning European champion and the reigning South American champion, a fitting conclusion to a tournament full of intrigue and drama.
It will be a fascinating clash of styles in the July 19 final in New York, with Spain's controlling qualities set to be tested against Argentina's unique brand of chaos.
For now, though, we've got Power Rankings to restructure, with plenty of movement among the final four teams.
Stats from Fotmob unless otherwise stated.
48-5 (Eliminated)
1 of 5
48. Iraq
47. Tunisia
46. Uzbekistan
45. Haiti
44. Jordan
43. Panama
42. Qatar
41. Curaçao
40. New Zealand
39. Czechia
38. Uruguay
37. Saudi Arabia
36. Iran
35. Scotland
34. Korea Republic
33. Turkiye
32. Bosnia and Herzegovina
31. Algeria
30. South Africa
29. DR Congo
28. Ghana
27. Sweden
26. Cabo Verde
25. Austria
24. Australia
23. Ecuador
22. Germany
21. Côte d'Ivoire
20. Senegal
19. Japan
18. Croatia
17. Netherlands
16. USA
15. Paraguay
14. Canada
13. Egypt
12. Brazil
11. Colombia
10. Mexico
9. Portugal
8. Morocco
7. Belgium
6. Switzerland
5. Norway
Check out the previous Power Ranking updates to see the analysis for these teams:
4. France
2 of 5
FIFA Ranking: 3
Previous Power Ranking Spot: 1
This was not in the script.
In the six games leading up to Tuesday's meeting, France had looked dominant, appearing to be world champions in waiting. But in the semifinal against Spain, the team apparently forgot everything that had made it so successful in the previous weeks.
La Furia Roja had almost coasted through the group stage and the previous knockout games, progressing comfortably without really shining. It turns out they were just conserving energy.
Spain swarmed all over Les Bleus, choking off any attacking channels that their neighbors to the south could have utilized.
France had three shots on target, with all of them coming after 81 minutes when they were 2-0 down. Kylian Mbappe had an xG of 0.09.
Up until the semifinal, France were the second-top-scoring team at the World Cup behind Argentina. However, against Spain, it looked like scoring goals was a complete mystery to every single player.
There was no attacking threat, no understanding between the forward players. Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong, including Luca Digne's radar when Lamine Yamal was lurking behind his shoulder.
The penalty—won by Yamal after Digne's attempt to atone for a wayward header led to the 32-year-old taking a wild swipe that caught the youngster on the thigh and sent him tumbling—might have been the moment that swung the game in Spain's favor. But in the previous 20 minutes, France looked a mile away from the team that had been so electric in the competition to that point.
Mikel Oyarzabal's successful penalty didn't jolt Les Bleus into life, either, and after Pedro Porro made it 2-0 at around the hour-mark, the game looked almost unfathomably out of reach.
France went out meekly, displaying an ironic lack of battling qualities on Bastille Day.
3. England
3 of 5
FIFA Ranking: 4
Previous Power Ranking Spot: 3
Ultimately, a tactical error proved to be England's downfall.
With a 1-0 lead and about 20 minutes to go in the semifinal, head coach Thomas Tuchel opted to defend the narrow margin, bringing on center-back Ezri Konsa in the 72nd minute and two more defenders, Dan Burn and Nico O'Reilly, with less than 10 minutes to go.
Of course, that invited Argentina to push forward with not much to worry about in their defensive third. With little bite left in England's midfield and Elliot Anderson on a yellow card, Enzo Fernandez was able to find his accuracy with shots from distance, and Lionel Messi could exploit gaps much more easily.
In the blink of an eye, a 1-0 win and a spot in the World Cup final for the first time in 60 years became a 2-1 defeat and a crushing exit from the competition.
Yet again, a promising England team simply didn't have enough to banish decades-long demons. The blame for that will mostly fall on Tuchel's tactics and squad selection, but there's only so much you can do when the best footballer who has ever lived decides to kick things up a couple of notches.
2. Argentina
4 of 5
FIFA Ranking: 1
Previous Power Ranking Spot: 4
For the opening hour or so of the semifinal against England, Argentina seemed to be playing a completely different sport, somewhere between rugby and wrestling.
The Three Lions did remarkably well not to bite back too hard, ultimately reaping rewards when Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock in the 55th minute.
But Argentina, both now and in tournaments past, seems to perform better when the odds are stacked against it. While England's decision to sit back and invite pressure helped, you really have to admire La Albiceleste's resiliency and determination.
Enzo Fernandez, an irritant for England throughout, only needed a couple of efforts to find his range, rocketing a right-footed shot past Jordan Pickford in the 85th minute to make it 1-1.
Lionel Messi had decided to start demonstrating why he's the GOAT after Gordon's opener, and his brilliance was on full display as he clipped a sumptuous cross into the box for Lautaro Martinez to head home and break England's hearts in added time.
Similar tactics will be risky against a Spain side that has shown itself capable of shaping a game to its wishes, but you wouldn't count La Albiceleste out until the moment the final whistle has blown.
1. Spain
5 of 5
FIFA Ranking: 2
Previous Power Ranking Spot: 4
What a performance, what a result for Spain in its semifinal against France.
Luis de la Fuente's side was considered the underdog heading into the match, despite having gone undefeated through the tournament and conceding just once—in the quarterfinal against Belgium. That label looks outrageous on reflection.
Against Les Bleus, Spain looked a class above, dominating in every sector of the pitch and, crucially, taking the chances that were presented.
It's easy to grumble about how Lamine Yamal won the penalty by effectively running into the flailing boot of Lucas Digne, but, by the letter of the law, it was a spot-kick. Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain's Mr. Reliable in front of goal, didn't need a second invitation, dispatching his effort emphatically to Mike Maignan's left and giving his side a deserved lead.
From there, Spain did what they do best, keeping the ball out of France's clutches and closing up the defensive ranks.
With Les Bleus looking out of ideas, it was right-back Pedro Porro who took advantage of an opening in the France back line and rifled his effort past the helpless Maignan. A 2-0 lead with half an hour to play in a World Cup final shouldn't be unassailable, but Spain barely looked rattled, and France couldn't figure them out.
That level of composure and control will be tested against Argentina, but Spain is peaking at exactly the right moment, and a second world title awaits.
.jpg?w=3840 "AEW Dynamite Live Grades 🔠")