England and Argentina have unveiled their starting line-ups ahead of the World Cup 2026 semi-final in Atlanta this Wednesday. The Three Lions secured their spot by overcoming Norway in a thrilling quarter-final, which ended 2-1 after extra time, thanks to a brace from Jude Bellingham, while Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 in a match that also required additional time.
This encounter marks a real moment in the tournament, with the winning side set to face Spain in the final scheduled for Sunday. Meanwhile, the losing team will meet France in the third-placed play-off a day earlier.
England’s Changes for the Semi-Final Against Argentina
Gareth Southgate has made three alterations to his line-up, with full-backs Reece James and Djed Spence returning alongside midfielder Morgan Rogers, who steps in for Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, and Noni Madueke.
England starting XI: Jordan Pickford, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Djed Spence, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon.
England substitutes: Dean Henderson, James Trafford, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Trevoh Chalobah, Dan Burn, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins, Noni Madueke, Ivan Toney.
Argentina’s Midfield Adjustment Ahead of the Clash
Argentina has made one change to their line-up, with Giuliano Simeone replacing Rodrigo De Paul, who picked up a minor injury during the match against Switzerland but did not seem to suffer any major consequences.
Argentina starting XI: Emiliano Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi, Giuliano Simeone.
Argentina substitutes: Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli, Marcos Senesi, Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Otamendi, Facundo Medina, Rodrigo De Paul, Valentin Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Nico Gonzalez, Thiago Almada, Nico Paz, Jose Manuel Lopez, Lautaro Martinez.
Where to Watch and Key Statistics for the Semi-Final
The match kicks off at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). Coverage in the UK is available on BBC One, with streaming accessible via the BBC iPlayer app and the BBC Sport website.
- England has lost two of their 14 matches against Argentina, securing six wins and drawing six times.
- This will be the sixth World Cup meeting between the two teams, having previously faced each other on five occasions, only meeting Germany more frequently.
- Argentina are participating in their sixth World Cup semi-final, with a perfect record of progressing from their previous five matches at this stage.
- With 17 goals scored in the tournament, Argentina currently leads the goal tally, one short of their all-time record of 18 goals achieved at the 1930 finals.
The SportiveNews view
England’s line-up indicates a tactical shift that could be crucial in their pursuit of a World Cup final spot. The inclusion of fresh legs in defence and midfield could provide the balance needed against Argentina, a formidable opponent. The result here has great implications as the victor will face a spirited Spain side, while the defeated team will have to regroup for a playoff match.
Source: Based on reporting from www.101greatgoals.com. SportiveNews rewrote and analysed the story independently for football readers.
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