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France lost 2-0 to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal on July 14, and head coach Didier Deschamps had some pointed words about the officiating. Specifically, he questioned whether referee Ivan Barton of El Salvador was equipped to handle a match of that magnitude. An early penalty call set the tone for Spain’s dominance, and Deschamps described his squad as “devastated.”
What happened on the pitch
The semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas was widely billed as the “final before the final.” Both France and Spain carried pedigree into the match, and the global audience was enormous.
Spain took control early after Barton awarded a penalty that Deschamps later characterized as questionable. From there, La Roja never looked back, winning 2-0 and advancing to the July 19 final against either England or Argentina.
Deschamps acknowledged Spain’s superiority on the day. But his post-match comments zeroed in on the referee’s suitability for a World Cup semifinal, a pointed critique that instantly dominated sports media cycles worldwide.
France will now play in the third-place match.
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