The 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals will showcase some of football’s biggest stars, with 10 players who have previously won either the Ballon d’Or or one of the prestigious awards presented during the annual Ballon d’Or ceremony still in contention for the title.
The remaining four nations—France, Spain, Argentina and England—feature winners of the Ballon d’Or, Yashin Trophy, Kopa Trophy and Gerd Müller Trophy, underlining the quality of talent left in the competition.
Spain will face France in the first semi-final, while defending champions Argentina will battle England for the second place in the final.
Three Ballon d’Or winners remain in the race to lift the World Cup trophy.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi leads the list with a record eight Ballon d’Or titles, while Spain midfielder Rodri and France forward Ousmane Dembélé are also among the sport’s highest individual award recipients.
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Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is the only Yashin Trophy winner left in the tournament, having claimed the award for the world’s best goalkeeper twice.
The semi-finals also feature four Kopa Trophy winners, awarded to the world’s best young player. Spain’s Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Gavi are joined by England midfielder Jude Bellingham on that list.
Meanwhile, France captain Kylian Mbappé and England striker Harry Kane, who shared the 2024 Gerd Müller Trophy as the world’s top goalscorers, complete the distinguished group of award winners.
The winners of the Spain-France and Argentina-England clashes will book their places in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, ensuring that several of football’s most decorated players remain in the hunt for the game’s biggest prize.
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