England vs Argentina: How England Have Fared in World Cup Semis

England secured their place in the 2026 Women's World Cup semifinal with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norway on Saturday, July 12, setting up a last-four showdown against Argentina. It marks only the fourth time England have reached this stage of a World Cup, a run that has produced mixed results historically. The match against Argentina will determine who advances to the final.

England World Cup Semifinal History: A Mixed Record

England have reached three previous Women's World Cup semifinals, in 1995, 2015, and 2019, winning just one of those ties. In 1995, they fell to Germany 3-0 in a one-sided affair. In 2015, a late own goal by Japan handed England a 2-1 defeat and denied them a first-ever final appearance. The 2019 semifinal against the United States ended 2-1 to the Americans, with both England goals disputed and a disallowed effort proving pivotal. That record, one exit to Germany, two to eventual finalists or champions, underscores how difficult the final step has been for this program. According to FIFA, England have never appeared in a Women's World Cup final across the tournament's nine editions prior to 2026.

What the Argentina Matchup Means for This England Squad

This semifinal represents a genuine opportunity. Argentina, appearing in just their second World Cup semifinal in history, present a different challenge from the physical, high-press sides England have faced in previous rounds. England have scored nine goals across their four matches in this tournament, the joint-highest tally remaining among the four semifinalists, according to ESPN Soccer. The attack has been the foundation of this run, and if England can maintain that output, they carry real momentum into the match. The program cannot afford to treat this as simply reaching the semifinal being sufficient. Three exits at this stage in four previous appearances is a pattern that demands to be broken, and this squad has the quality to do it.

England head coach Sarina Wiegman said after the Norway win that the squad is focused on execution rather than the occasion. She noted that the team has managed pressure well throughout the tournament and that the Norway performance, while not a clean sheet, showed the resilience needed to go deep in a World Cup. Wiegman has now led England to back-to-back Women's World Cup semifinals, having done so with the Netherlands in 2019 as well. You can follow all the semifinal action through our live scores page as results come in.

What to Watch When England Face Argentina

The semifinal date and kickoff time are expected to be confirmed by FIFA within 48 hours. England will need to neutralize Argentina's transition game, which has caused problems for higher-ranked opponents throughout the tournament. If you need broadcast information, the streaming guide has full coverage details. England have history to overcome and a first World Cup final to reach. Everything else is secondary.