France and Spain will face off at Dallas Stadium with a place in the 2026 World Cup final on the line. The good news for Didier Deschamps and Les Bleus is that, according to a recent report from L’Équipe, Aurelien Tchouameni is expected to return to the starting lineup after recovering from injury.
“His (Tchouameni) recovery is considered satisfactory, and he appears fit to start the match,” the journalist Damien Degorre revealed. So far in the tournament, the midfielder has featured in four matches.
Although Tchouameni was available on the bench during recent match against Morocco, he ultimately was not called upon. Looking ahead to the semifinal, all signs point to the midfielder returning to the heart of France’s midfield.
What injury did Aurelien Tchouameni suffer?
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Aurelien Tchouameni suffered a setback after feeling discomfort in his adductor during a training session just before the knockout phase. An MRI scan later revealed a minor muscle lesion that required a dedicated healing period, forcing Didier Deschamps to leave him out of the intense Round of 16 clash against Paraguay.
Aurelien Tchouameni #8 of France.
What is Kylian Mbappe’s status?
Alarm bells rang at Boston Stadium when Kylian Mbappe was substituted with a potential ankle injury. However, the decision was made purely as a precaution, and France’s star is not expected to have any issues being available for the World Cup semifinal.
With that in mind, this is the projected starting XI Didier Deschamps is expected to field against Spain: Mike Maignan; Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne; Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise; Desiree Doue, Kylian Mbappe (C).
A place in the Final
The 2026 World Cup semifinal bracket is finally complete. France and Spain were the first two teams to secure their spots in this stage, and they will now meet in Dallas next Tuesday at 3 PM ET for a place in the grand final, where they will face the winner of Argentina vs. England.
