The 2026 World Cup schedule in Kyiv time is entering its final stretch: today, July 14, at 22:00 Kyiv time, the first semi-final between France and Spain kicks off in Dallas. This midday update covers the hottest topics of the morning — a war of words between stars from both sides and worrying news from England's camp ahead of the second semi-final.
Yamal vs Kounde: A War of Words Before France vs Spain
The main intrigue of the pre-match day is the exchange of words between Barcelona teammates who will find themselves on opposite sides of the pitch tonight. After the quarter-final, Lamine Yamal declared that France should be afraid of the reigning European champions. His club teammate Jules Kounde responded diplomatically at a press conference on Monday, saying that Yamal's comments were not disrespectful but a show of confidence. "I know Lamine very well. For me, it's a demonstration of his confidence," the defender was quoted as saying by ESPN. Yamal himself did not back down: "They asked me if I was afraid of France, and I said no. We are the European champions."
Kounde also noted that the match falls on July 14 — Bastille Day — and that the French squad wants to give their fans a celebration while also honouring the memory of the victims of the 2016 Nice terror attack. French midfielder Adrien Rabiot, at his own press conference, stressed that the team is not focused solely on Yamal: "We are focused on the entire Spanish team, not on one player."
Statistically, the clash promises to be a spectacle: France's attack has scored 16 goals in six tournament matches, eight of which belong to Kylian Mbappé. Spain, meanwhile, have conceded just one goal throughout the entire tournament — the best defensive record among the four semi-finalists.
Declan Rice in Doubt: England Await Medical Update
Mixed signals are coming from England's camp ahead of the second semi-final against Argentina (Wednesday, July 15, 22:00 Kyiv time). According to ESPN, the English are growing increasingly optimistic about Declan Rice being fit to start. However, Bolavip reports that Rice's illness has forced the coaching staff to delay a final decision until the last moment.
Thomas Tuchel, according to TNT Sports, faces the key challenge of getting his players recovered after an exhausting quarter-final victory over Norway. An additional headache is the two-match suspension of defender Jarell Quansah following his red card against Mexico. On the positive side, Reece James, who missed several games with a hamstring injury, has returned to full training and is pushing for a starting spot.
2026 World Cup Schedule in Kyiv Time: What's Next
Here is the current 2026 World Cup schedule in Kyiv time for the final stage of the tournament:
- July 14, 22:00 — France vs Spain, AT&T Stadium, Dallas (Semi-final 1)
- July 15, 22:00 — England vs Argentina, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta (Semi-final 2)
- July 18, 23:00 — Third-place match, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
- July 19, 22:00 — Final, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
All kick-off times are given in Kyiv time (UTC+3). For a detailed overview of the group stage and play-off schedule, see the article "2026 World Cup Schedule in Kyiv Time: Two Semi-Finals This Week". For more context on the rest day before these matches, see the night digest from July 13.
Tonight — France vs Spain (22:00 Kyiv time); a detailed preview and prediction will be published in the preview section at 18:45.
Photo: Bolavip US · Editorial (source)
