Atlanta, July 13 -- One of football's greatest and most bitter rivalries returns to the World Cup stage after 24 years when England face defending champions Argentina in the second semifinal of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Atlanta Stadium. The match kicks off at 12:30 AM IST on Thursday, July 16, with the winner advancing to Sunday's final against France or Spain.

The two nations are meeting at a World Cup for the first time since 2002, and it is only their sixth World Cup encounter overall. The fixture carries decades of drama - from Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal in 1986 to David Beckham's red card in 1998. Remarkably, this will be the first time Lionel Messi has ever faced England in his long international career.

For the...