England are in World Cup semi final action on Wednesday night for just the fourth time in their history, with Thomas Tuchel’s side taking on defending world champions Argentina in Atlanta for a place Sunday’s World Cup final.
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England take on their old enemies Argentina in the two nations’ first meeting in over 20 years on one of the biggest stages of them all as they walk out for a World Cup semi final on Wednesday night in Atlanta, Georgia.
Thomas Tuchel’s side will be relieved to playing in the indoor Mercedez-Benz Arena in Atlanta for their semi final after having had to play 120 minutes in the 40+ degree heat in Miami for their quarter final clash, in which they came from behind to beat Norway courtesy of another brace by Jude Bellingham.
This summer is England’s first appearance in final four of the World Cup in eight years, though the overwhelming feeling is that the Three Lions are in a much stronger position to challenge for football’s biggest prize this time around.
The Three Lions, who have reached each of the last two Euros finals, are hoping the new addition of Tuchel, who took over 18 months ago, will give them the cutting edge and knowhow that the side lacked under the previous management to get over the line against the world’s strongest teams.
England finished top of Group L this summer with wins over Croatia and Panama sandwiching a draw against Ghana, before needing a late Harry Kane brace to beat DR Congo 2-1 to avoid a big scare and progress beyond the round of 32.
The Three Lions then won a blockbuster last 16 clash against Mexico 3-2 at the Estadio Azteca before their come-from-behind extra time win over Norway in Miami in their quarter final clash last weekend.
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Argentina head into Wednesday’s semi final just two wins away from becoming the first team since the Brazil team of 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup trophy they won four years prior.
The defending champions are still going strong in this summer’s tournament despite having survived several scares in the knockout stage, but their resilience, character and quality have seen them manage to eke out victories when they previously looked unlikely, to take them into the last four of the World Cup for the third time in four tournaments.
Lionel Scaloni is looking to become only the second manager inhistory to lead his nation to more than one World Cup triumph, and the first to do achieve the feat since 1938, and has been heavily aided by the mesmerising ability of Lionel Messi.
The now 39-year-old is still carrying his country through this summer’s tournament despite his age, his eight goals in six matches leaving him joint-top of the Golden Boot race and makes him the top scorer in World Cup history, taking his tally to 21 ahead of Wednesday’s semi final.
La Albiceleste finished top of Group J with three wins out of three after victories over Algeria, Austria and Jordan, but needed extra time to survive a huge scare against World Cup debutants Cape Verde in their opening knockout game in the last 32.
Messi and co then needed to score three goals in the final 11 minutes of their round of 16 clash to come back from 2-0 down to get past Egypt, scoring a 92nd minute winner to book their place in the quarter finals, where again they needed extra time to get past a 10-man Switzerland side.
England have the better record between the two nations across all of their previous meetings, but the most memorable ones are the ones that have ended in defeat; Diego Maradona’s infamous brace, with aid from the ‘Hand of the God’ in the 1986 quarter final, and David Beckham’s red card in 1998 before being knocked out on penalties.
The Three Lions have on their last two games against Wednesday’s opponents, including another memorable encounter in the 2002 World Cup which saw Beckham get his revenge, with the most recent meeting a storming 3-2 win in Switzerland back in 2005, in which Michael Owen scoring a late brace to secure victory.
England fans wanting a good omen ahead of Wednesday’s clash will be pleased to be reminded that the two sides also met in the knockout stage of the 1966 World Cup, in which Sir Geoff Hurst scored the only goal of the game en route to England lifting the trophy for the first and so far only time.
How to watch England vs Argentina
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, USA
- Date and time: Wednesday 15th July 2026, 8pm
- How to watch: ITV1, STV, ITVX, STV Player
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