France to Honor Nice Attack Victims with Moment of Silence at FIFA World Cup Semi-Final
Tribute to Nice Attack Victims
On July 13, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a minute of silence will be observed before the France-Spain FIFA World Cup semi-final match, commemorating the victims of the 2016 Nice terror attack. This event marks ten years since the tragic incident.
Macron expressed his appreciation to FIFA President Gianni Infantino for supporting France's request for this tribute. The attack occurred on July 14, 2016, when a truck drove into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, resulting in the deaths of at least 86 individuals, including children, and injuring over 430 others. The assailant was shot dead by law enforcement.
The highly anticipated match between France and Spain is set for July 14 (local time). Macron shared on social media, "Before the France-Spain match, a minute of silence will be observed in homage to the victims of the Nice attack, ten years after July 14, 2016. Thank you to the President of FIFA for responding to the request of France and all mobilized French people. We will never forget."
The semi-final lineup for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been finalized, with England and Argentina joining France and Spain after overcoming challenging quarter-final matches.
France has demonstrated a strong and disciplined performance throughout the knockout stages, showcasing their tactical prowess.
The French Football Federation also confirmed the moment of silence in a post, stating, "A minute of silence in memory of the victims of the July 14, 2016, attack in Nice will be observed during the France-Spain World Cup semi-final tomorrow evening."
Having topped Group I, France began the knockout phase with a decisive 3-0 win against Sweden in the Round of 32. They narrowly defeated Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 and secured their spot in the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarter-finals.
France has scored six goals in the knockout rounds while maintaining a clean sheet, highlighting their defensive strength and composure under pressure. Their captain, Kylian Mbappe, has been pivotal in the attack, consistently delivering when it counts.