Spain reached the FIFA World Cup semifinals for the first time in 16 years after edging past Belgium 2-1 in a dramatic quarterfinal at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Friday (Jul 10).
Substitute Mikel Merino struck late in the 88th minute to break Belgian hearts and send La Roja through to face France next. Belgium’s spirited run at the tournament came to an end, and there was plenty of controversy to boot. The Red Devils were denied a penalty shout after a Rodri handball inside the box went unpunished by referee Michael Oliver, leaving fans disappointed.
Why the referee denied the penalty and what does FIFA rule say?
The incident happened when the football struck Rodri’s arm inside the Spain penalty area, with Belgium players immediately appealing for a spot-kick. Referee Michael Oliver waved away the appeals, and VAR chose not to intervene either, sparking widespread anger among Belgium supporters and neutrals watching on.
Swedish referee instructor Victor, who runs an account dedicated to breaking down refereeing calls, later explained the decision was in line with IFAB’s Laws of the Game, which state that a handball offence isn’t committed when the ball comes off a player’s hand or arm directly from a teammate’s head or body.
In this case, Aymeric Laporte had first headed the ball before it deflected onto Rodri’s arm, which was also deemed to be in a natural position, ruling out any offence.
What next for Spain in FIFA 2026?
Spain, who won their only World Cup title back in 2010, will now take on France in the semifinal on Tuesday, July 14, in Arlington, Texas. Coach Luis de la Fuente’s side extended their unbeaten run to 36 games with the win and will fancy their chances of going all the way, having already knocked out Portugal en route to the last four.
Where to watch and live stream Spain’s FIFA World Cup 2026 matches?
Spain’s FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final match will be aired LIVE across WION’s sister company Zee5 app and website.