What time is the football on Wednesday? England vs Argentina in the World Cup 2026 semi-final promises to be a huge occasion

England are playing in a World Cup semi-final for just the fourth time in their history.

After the heartbreak of 1990 and 2018, The Three Lions will be looking to emulate the success of 1966, 60 years on, as they go toe-to-toe with current world champions Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Led by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, England are one of just four teams left at the World Cup as the tournament enters its final week.

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What time is England vs Argentina on Wednesday?

Jude Bellingham has been England’s saviour several times already this summer (Image credit: Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

All eyes will be on the game, which will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, temporarily known as Atlanta Stadium for the sake of FIFA’s advertising rules for the 2026 World Cup.

England have played there already this summer, defeating DR Congo in the round of 32 in dramatic fashion with Harry Kane scoring two late goals.

Harry Kane celebrates after England’s 2-1 win over DR Congo in the FIFA World Cup 2026 last-32 match in Atlanta on July 1, 2026 (Image credit: Getty Images)

That game kicked off at 5pm in England, which was a slight rush for people leaving work to make it home or to a pub on time for the game.

Thankfully, Wednesday night is slightly different with the conventional midweek kick-off time of 8pm.

This translates to 3pm local time, with there currently being a five-hour time difference between Atlanta and England.

The Mercedes-Benz Stadium is one of the most advanced at the World Cup, featuring a retractable roof and a climate-cooling system, meaning the England players shouldn’t feel the effects of the temperature as they did in Miami on Saturday night.

It also means the game should run on time, with the risk of impact from electrical storms slightly lower than at other open-air stadiums.

England will face Lionel Messi for the first time in his career (Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The Three Lions face their toughest test yet in the shape of Argentina. The current world champions have battled their way to the semi-finals once again, winning twice in extra-time against Cape Verde and Switzerland, whilst they completed an incredibly dramatic comeback against Egypt in the round of 16.

They face a Lionel Messi who is still producing magical moments at 39-years-old and quite possibly at his last World Cup. His eight goals at this year’s tournament have seen him become the all-time top goalscorer with 21 goals, flying past Miroslav Klose’s previous record of 16.

The two have not faced each other in a competitive match since the 2002 World Cup, where England exorcised the demons of 1998 with a 1-0 win in the group stages.