Apertura 2026 begins with few matches on open TV

High voltage semi-final in Dallas

France and Spain face each other this Tuesday at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, in the first semifinal of the World Cup. Both arrive undefeated: the French have scored 14 goals and conceded only two; the Spanish, 10 in favor and one against.

Kylian Mbappé has eight goals in the tournament, equaling Leo Messi at the top of the scoring table. With 20 goals in 20 World Cup games, he is one away from the Argentine’s all-time record. The 27-year-old striker claimed to be recovered after being substituted against Morocco in the quarterfinals.

For Spain, Lamine Yamal — who turned 19 on Monday — already knows what it’s like to eliminate France in the semifinals: he scored in Euro 2024 and also won in the Nations League. “We are not afraid of France. If anyone should be afraid, it is us,” declared the young man. His Barcelona teammate, Jules Koundé, did not feel addressed: “It’s a sign of confidence. He always does the same thing at Barça.”

Mikel Merino has been key for La Roja coming off the bench: he scored the winning goal against Portugal in the round of 16 (88′) and the decisive goal against Belgium in the quarterfinals (88′). Goalkeeper Unai Simón set a record of 650 minutes without conceding a goal, until Belgium scored in the 41st minute.

This is the only World Cup precedent between the two: France won 3-1 in the round of 16 in 2006, with goals from Ribéry, Vieira and Zidane. Since then, Spain won its only title in 2010 and France lifted its second cup in 2018. The French seek to join Brazil and Germany as the only ones with three consecutive finals.

The other semifinal pits defending champion Argentina against England on Wednesday in Atlanta. Messi, with three goals in the group stage, broke the historical record for goals in the World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, was eliminated in the round of 16 against Spain.

The title game will be Sunday at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey. The date in Dallas promises emotions.

Atlas FC begins a new stage without Diego Cocca

A few days before the start of Apertura 2026, Atlas FC underwent a change in its sports project. Diego Cocca stopped being technical director of the red and black team after negotiations for his continuity did not prosper. The board accelerates the search for a new coach before the debut against León.

The reasons behind the departure

The differences between the Argentine strategist and the leadership would have been related to the formation of the squad and the reinforcements hired for the new tournament. The lack of agreement prevented both parties from reaching a definitive agreement.

Cocca led the preseason and participated in the work leading up to the championship, in addition to appearing at public events with the new administration. However, the contractual relationship was never formalized.

Official statement from the club

“Atlas FC informs that, as part of the institutional and sporting re-engineering process promoted by the new administration of the Club, it was not possible to reach an agreement for the continuity of Diego Cocca as Technical Director of the First Team.”

“The institution thanks Diego Cocca for the professionalism, work and dedication he showed during his time at the head of the First Team, a period in which he contributed significantly to the recent history of the Club. Likewise, it wishes him the greatest success in his future projects.”

What’s next for Atlas?

The club is holding advanced conversations with different candidates and will announce the decision in the coming days. “We reiterate to our fans that each decision responds to the firm commitment to strengthening Atlas FC and consolidating a solid, stable and competitive sports project, with a long-term vision,” the institution detailed.

The Golden Boot is defined in the semifinals

With only four games left to play, the fight for the top scorer of the 2026 World Cup is more open than ever. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé lead the table with eight goals each. The semi-finals and the final will be decisive.

The Argentine captain reached that figure without penalties; The Frenchman only converted one from eleven meters. Both are the main candidates for the award that FIFA will present.

Six of the top ten are still alive

Erling Haaland scores seven goals; Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane have six. Ousmane Dembélé has five; Mikel Oyarzábal, Julián Quiñones, Ismaila Sarr and Vinicius Jr. have four each.

Of the ten top scorers, six are still in competition: Messi (Argentina), Mbappé and Dembélé (France), Bellingham and Kane (England), and Oyarzábal (Spain).

• Lionel Messi – 8 goals
• Kylian Mbappé – 8 goals
• Erling Haaland – 7 goals
• Jude Bellingham – 6 goals
• Harry Kane – 6 goals
• Ousmane Dembélé – 5 goals
• Mikel Oyarzábal – 4 goals
• Julián Quiñones – 4 goals
• Ismaila Sarr – 4 goals
• Vinicius Jr – 4 goals

The excitement grows. Any shot can define the owner of the Golden Boot.