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Spain and Belgium meet today at SoFi Stadium with a semifinal date against France already waiting for the winner. That's today's centerpiece, and it's got company. An Atlanta United friendly gave us more to talk about than the final score suggested, and the World Cup keeps setting records off the field even as it takes a toll on some of the biggest teams left in it.

Spain has not lost a competitive match since March 2023. It has not conceded a single goal through five matches at this World Cup. Friday at SoFi Stadium, none of that seems to bother Belgium.

Rudi García's side arrives off the best performance of its tournament, a 4-1 dismantling of co-host United States that stretched Belgium's own unbeaten run to 18 matches. García has heard the noise about his team being on the way home. He is not interested in it. "We believe we can pull off an upset," he told reporters Thursday, framing Friday less as a long shot and more as the moment this group of players has been building toward for years. Romelu Lukaku, Belgium's career goals leader, has been here before. He pointed to Belgium's stunning 2-1 win over Brazil in the 2018 quarterfinals as the closest comparison, a reminder that this Belgian core has done the improbable against bigger names than Spain.

Spain's case for being the tournament's most complete team starts in midfield, where Rodri has orchestrated a defense so tight that goalkeeper Unai Simón has needed only six saves across five matches. The attack has been more feast than steady diet. Spain scored seven of its nine tournament goals in routs of Saudi Arabia and Austria, then needed a stoppage time Mikel Merino goal to get past Portugal 1-0 in the round of 16. Luis de la Fuente does not see that as a warning sign. He sees a team getting more chances than anyone left in the tournament, with the finishing still to come.

Some of that finishing is expected to come from Lamine Yamal, who at 18 has scored only once in his first World Cup after returning from an April hamstring injury with Barcelona. De la Fuente has praised the two way version of Yamal that showed up against Portugal, one committed enough defensively to help force Nuno Mendes out of the match early. The coach's read is that the explosive, attacking Yamal that Barcelona and Spain fans know best is still coming.

Belgium will be without two starters who have shaped its tournament. Amadou Onana is out with a knee injury, a loss that has already forced tactical adjustments and likely means Kevin De Bruyne, rested against the Americans, steps back into the midfield at full strength. Centre back Zeno Debast will also sit out after a fitness dispute between Sporting CP and the Belgian federation, with the two sides disagreeing over whether he is ready to play. Whoever survives Friday moves on to face France in Dallas on Tuesday, with Les Bleus already through on the strength of a 2-0 win over Morocco built on goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.

Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty in the first half against Morocco on Thursday, then answered it with a moment nobody else at this World Cup could produce: a stuttered run to draw out Issa Diop, a shift of the hips, and a curling strike into the top corner that Yassine Bounou never had a prayer of reaching. Ousmane Dembélé added a second six minutes later, and France was through to a third straight World Cup semifinal, 2-0, without so much as a scare.

The scoreline undersells how thoroughly Les Bleus have taken over this tournament. Since the knockout rounds began, France has attempted 62 shots and conceded 18. Twenty five have been on target, against four allowed the other way. The expected goals gap is 8.38 for France to 0.97 against. They have scored six times in the knockout stage and have not been scored on once.

Mbappé's part in that is now historic on its own terms. He is the only player in the last 60 years to reach double digit goal involvements in two different World Cups, with eight goals and two assists in Qatar and eight goals and three assists this time. His 11 direct goal involvements this tournament are the most by any player in a single World Cup since Gerd Müller had 10 goals and three assists in 1970. He has now been on the winning side in 17 of his 20 career World Cup appearances, the best win rate of anyone with at least 15 caps at the tournament.

Didier Deschamps was not interested in dwelling on the missed penalty afterward. "There was never any doubt, especially not Kylian," he said, crediting a French performance that he felt suffocated Morocco into exhaustion. Adrien Rabiot was blunter about how comfortable it felt from the inside, saying Morocco was never dangerous in the moments France did not have the ball, while still cautioning that a team with that much individual talent can never be fully dismissed. France now waits in Dallas for the winner of Friday's Spain and Belgium quarterfinal, with Tuesday's semifinal looming as the toughest test yet of a run that has, so far, not asked France to come from behind a single time.

Kylian Mbappé had already missed a penalty. Then came the answer: a shimmy past Issa Diop, a drop of the shoulder, and a curling strike into the top corner that Yassine Bounou never touched. It is the kind of goal that explains why Mbappé has been involved in more World Cup goals over the last two tournaments than anyone since Gerd Müller, and Telemundo's call captures the moment as it deserved to be captured, in full voice.

Atlanta United won a preseason friendly over Sporting Kansas City on Thursday, 3-2, in a game that produced a genuine tactical wrinkle and, more importantly, a blunt diagnosis from Tata Martino about where this team actually stands.

Kansas City opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 14th minute. Jay Fortune equalized with a first time finish off an Emmanuel Latte Lath layoff, and Cooper Sanchez put Atlanta ahead three minutes later, winning the ball back with a tackle and finishing with the outside of his boot. Kansas City leveled it again early in the second half before Cameron Dunbar won it in the third period, finishing off a Luke Brennan cross that academy midfielder Andrew Jardines helped spring with a one-two.

The tactical story of the night was Latte Lath shifting wide right with Alexey Miranchuk dropping into a deeper number 9 role. Martino said the idea grew out of preseason conversations, with Latte Lath telling him he had played wide right before and liked it there. Martino saw an opening: pairing a wide winger with a forward who drops deep opens diagonal lanes for interior midfielders to run into, and he pointed to Thursday’s goals, several of them scored by midfielders arriving late into the box, as early evidence the idea has legs. He was careful to frame it as another tool rather than a permanent shift.

The bigger story was what came next. Martino said he and his staff have never stopped analyzing this roster since he arrived seven months ago, and his read has not changed. Atlanta is deficient at both ends of the field, not just going forward or just defending. His phrase for it: the team plays well through 70 meters, but the field is 100. He noted that the only club news since the break has been three departures and no additions, which is why his stated priorities right now are group leadership and rebuilding daily competition for spots in training, not just results on matchday.

Martino also singled out Tomás Jacob, saying he was decisive making attacking runs early in the season before that faded, and that his ceiling remains far higher than what has shown up lately, crediting the coaching staff for pulling more out of him in recent weeks, Thursday included. On the center back trio, he reaffirmed his belief that the group is complementary despite results falling short of his preseason hopes, pointing to structural issues around them rather than the individuals themselves, until proven otherwise. Chris Henderson said the club could add three to five players during the Secondary Transfer Window, either through trades or transfers, but stressed that turning the season around will take the full squad pulling in the same direction, not just new arrivals. Miguel Almirón is back in Atlanta following Paraguay's World Cup run and is working with the club's physios ahead of rejoining full training.

The numbers say this World Cup has never been bigger. The medical rooms in Miami and Los Angeles say the margins have never been thinner. Both are worth sitting with as the tournament heads toward July 19.

On The Field

England heads to Miami for Saturday's quarterfinal against Norway carrying real questions on the back line. Jarell Quansah will miss the match after a red card suspension picked up against Mexico, and that ban carries into a potential semifinal as well. Marc Guéhi has been nursing a hamstring issue and missed Thursday's training, putting his center back spot in doubt, while Declan Rice sat out a second straight session with what the squad is calling a bug on top of ongoing hamstring and back soreness. The one bright spot for Thomas Tuchel is Reece James, back in full training after missing time since the group stage draw with Ghana and in position to start at right back in Quansah's absence. Erling Haaland and Norway wait on the other side, and Tuchel will have some lineup juggling to do before kickoff.

Off The Field

The audience for this tournament keeps setting records. The USA-Belgium match averaged 50.1 million viewers across Fox and Telemundo, and Mexico-England drew 46.7 million in the U.S., making them the two most watched non-NFL sporting events since the 1994 Winter Olympics. The 33.086 million who watched on Fox alone is the largest audience on any network since Super Bowl LX in February. Kansas City topped the market list for the USA-Belgium broadcast, and the round of 16 as a whole averaged 14.465 million viewers on Fox, up 216 percent from 2022, with Telemundo and Peacock's Spanish language numbers up 265 percent over the same round four years ago.

Sadio Mané retires from Senegal duty: Mané announced his retirement from international football following Senegal's round of 32 exit to Belgium, closing out a career he called fully spent in service of the flag. He did not rule out staying involved in Senegalese football in a coaching or administrative capacity.

Hugo Broos confirms his exit from South Africa: The 74 year old coach, who led South Africa to its first World Cup in 16 years and its first ever trip to the knockout stage, confirmed he will not continue in the role, though he left open the possibility of returning in an advisory or scouting capacity.

Cherundolo Named U.S. U-23 Head Coach: Steve Cherundolo will lead the USMNT U-23 team into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The 47-year-old played 16 seasons at Hannover 96 and earned 87 caps with the USMNT, then coached LAFC to an MLS Cup title in 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2023. He also spent time on Hannover's staff and with the German federation's U-15 national team.

Pulisic's World Cup Injury Confirmed as Leg Fracture: Christian Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture of the tibia and fibula, a fracture of his right leg, during the USA's 4-1 loss to Belgium. Italian reports estimate a three to six week recovery window, which would have him back around Milan's Serie A opener on August 23 against Torino.

FC Dallas Adds Goalkeeper Daniel from San Jose: FC Dallas acquired Brazilian goalkeeper Daniel from the San Jose Earthquakes for up to $1 million in general allocation money. He made 77 regular season appearances over three seasons in San Jose. The move came a day after the Earthquakes signed Scotland international Angus Gunn.

Dynamo Acquire Duncan McGuire from Orlando City: Houston has agreed to a deal for forward Duncan McGuire, sending Orlando roughly $1.25 million in general allocation money and up to $1.15 million more in performance based add ons while retaining a sell on clause. McGuire scored 23 goals over his first two MLS seasons before injuries slowed him last year.

Ryan Gauld Returns for Whitecaps After 16 Months: Gauld made his first start since March 2025 in Vancouver's 4-1 Canadian Championship quarterfinal win over Cavalry FC. He played the first half before being managed off as the club continues easing him back from a serious knee injury.

Oakland Roots Seeking New Venue for 2027: The USL Championship club will leave the Oakland Coliseum after two seasons there. The Roots cited event control, matchday flexibility, fan experience and operating costs as reasons the venue cannot serve as a long term home.

Cole Campbell Moves to Elversberg: The American forward is joining Bundesliga newcomer Elversberg from Borussia Dortmund on a four year deal through June 2030. Elversberg is paying roughly $7 million for the 20-year-old, who spent last season's second half on loan at Hoffenheim.

SDH AM: Live at 9:05 AM on the SDH YouTube and Twitch channels, and on the National Sports Broadcast Network YouTube: Jon Nelson hosts a stacked morning with NPSL Chairman Steven Wagoner at 9:30, USMNT legend Marcelo Balboa at 10:00, and USL W-League commentator Jake Griffith at 10:30, a rundown that covers the American soccer pyramid from the lower divisions to the national team to the women's game in one sitting.

Atlanta Soccer Tonight: Live tonight at 10:00 PM on 92.9 The Game and the Audacy app: with Spain and Belgium having just settled who moves on to face France, tonight's show breaks down that quarterfinal, sizes up the semifinal matchup to come, and previews Saturday's England-Norway and Argentina-Switzerland quarterfinals.

Atlanta's World Cup run closes out with two more nights on the calendar and a free party in the park. Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts the tournament's second semifinal on Wednesday, July 15, between the winners of England-Norway and Argentina-Switzerland, kicking off at 3 PM. The city is marking the moment with extended hours at the FIFA Fan Festival at Centennial Olympic Park, running from noon to 10:30 PM that day so fans without tickets can still gather to watch, followed by a closing celebration at 6 PM that organizers say will include special guests and what they are calling exclusive entertainment.

The night before, on Tuesday, July 14, the Fan Festival runs from 1 to 10:30 PM with Ludacris performing ahead of the tournament's first semifinal in Dallas, and the celebration continuing with live music after that game wraps up. Organizers said the Fan Festival has drawn more than 453,000 visitors since it opened on June 11.

Atlanta will not host the final, but the city is throwing its own celebration anyway. A Celebration of Soccer & Sound runs 11 AM to 8 PM on Sunday, July 19, at Piedmont Park, produced by ONE Musicfest and Showcase Atlanta and headlined by Ludacris, with additional local and international musicians and DJ sets throughout the day. Admission is free, though organizers are encouraging fans to RSVP. Bring a chair or a blanket, because the city will screen the World Cup final, being played that day in the New York and New Jersey area, on site starting at 3 PM.

General admission for the semifinal week events is already sold out, but a limited batch of GA tickets for the evening programming on July 14 and 15 goes on sale Friday, granting entry to the Fan Festival starting at 6 PM on a first come, first served basis. GA+ and VIP passes remain available for fans who want in on the full day.

Arsenal Sign Ona Batlle from Barcelona: Arsenal have completed the signing of right back Ona Batlle following the expiration of her contract at FC Barcelona. The 27-year-old Spain international has won two UEFA Women's Champions League titles and three domestic trebles, and has been capped 76 times for Spain, including a Women's World Cup title. She is Arsenal's fourth signing of the summer window.

Newcastle Agree Deal for Johan Manzambi: Newcastle United have reached an agreement in principle to sign 20-year-old Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi from Freiburg for a fee in the region of £50 million. Manzambi recorded three goals and two assists in four appearances for Switzerland at this summer's World Cup, and made 47 appearances for Freiburg last season with seven goals and nine assists.

Paraguayan Senate Condemns Racist Remarks About Mbappé: The Paraguayan Senate passed a motion rejecting racist comments made by lawyer Celeste Amarilla about France captain Kylian Mbappé, following a five hour debate. A majority of senators stated the remarks did not reflect the body's general view, though some colleagues publicly supported Amarilla's comments.

FIFA Foundation Commits $1 Million to Venezuela Earthquake Relief: The FIFA Foundation Humanitarian Fund has pledged $1 million to support emergency relief efforts following a devastating earthquake in Venezuela. The funding will go through local and international partners, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino citing football's ability to unite communities during crises.

We've seen a lot of magic through this tournament, but it's worth stopping to say plainly what we're watching in Kylian Mbappé right now: a player putting together consecutive World Cups that nobody has matched in almost sixty years, still finding new ways to do it, and doing it with a smile on his way to the bench. Numbers like his usually get appreciated in hindsight. We get to watch this one happen in real time, and that's worth savoring while it's still unfolding.

Song of the Day: "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead. Some things you can see coming from a mile away, and Mbappé at this World Cup is one of them.

Jason