<h2>Spain Smooth, Sangria, and Espana</h2>
I didn&rsquo;t have a choice in the team I support &mdash; I was born in Spain. Some of my best memories are watching football with family and friends, with a table full of tapas, cold beer and everyone convinced they know better than the coach.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Chef-Manuel-Olveira_e.jpg" alt="Manuel Olveira" width="1280" height="720" /> Manuel Olveira
With Spanish cuisine, there&rsquo;s a real respect for great produce and a belief that when the ingredients are good, you don&rsquo;t need to overcomplicate them. My father is from Galicia, so I&rsquo;ve always had a soft spot for seafood like Gambas al Ajillo, Galician octopus, or a really good seafood paella, any day.
Manuel Olveira, chef, La Loca Maria, La Panthera
<h2>Pan con Tomate</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Jamon-Iberico_e.jpg" alt="Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia" width="1280" height="720" /> Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia
Ingredients &gt;&gt; Sourdough bread, sliced &gt;&gt; Tomato, grated &gt;&gt; Cloves of fresh garlic &gt;&gt; Extra virgin olive oil &gt;&gt; Jam&oacute;n Serrano (Spanish-style slow-aged ham), optional
Method Toast some sourdough or any crusty bread, rub it with fresh garlic, spoon over grated tomatoes, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season with a little sea salt and, if you can source it, top it with slices of Jam&oacute;n Serrano. If not, it&rsquo;s just as delicious on its own or with your favourite cured meat. Serve with chilled beer.
<h2>Calamari Fritos</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Calamares-Fritos_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
Ingredients &gt;&gt; Calamari rings &gt;&gt; Flour &gt;&gt; Lemon wedges &gt;&gt; Garlic Mayo sauce
Method Coat squid rings in seasoned flour, fry until golden and serve with lemon wedges and a quick garlic mayo.
Ham jam
The Spanish soccer team had 400lbs of Jam&oacute;n Iberico (Iberico ham) delivered to their Chattanooga base as part of their training diet. They are also partial to Arroz Con Leche (rice pudding).
<h2>France Vive le France</h2>
For the much-awaited France vs Spain face-off, let&rsquo;s turn to the French tradition of l&rsquo;apero: Drinks accompanied by small bites laid out before kick-off and shared through the evening. It is social, unfussy and avoids the need for a formal meal during the match.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/France-team_e.jpg" alt="Pic Courtesy/@equipedefrance" width="1280" height="720" /> Pic Courtesy/@equipedefrance
While emotions will run high during the match, don&rsquo;t forget to savour your time with friends. French meals are almost always a slow affair. Even a simple meal is given time, with food served in courses and conversation treated as part of the experience.
Mansi Jasani, founder, The Cheese Collective
<h2>The perfect apero board</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Cold-cuts_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
&gt;&gt;Cheese: Your board does not need to be oversized or extravagant. Three to five cheeses are enough: a soft, bloomy rind such as Brie or Camembert, a firm and aged one such as Comte, and a blue cheese such as Roquefort. AVAILABLE thecheesecollective.com; foodstories.shop
&gt;&gt;Breads and more: Build around them with sliced baguette or sourdough, sliced meats, a handful of nuts, olives, mustard, honey or fruit preserve. AT Nature's Basket; Go Fresh AVAILABLE theobroma.in; masabakery.in; lafolie.in;&nbsp;
&gt;&gt;Colour me French: To bring in the colours of the French tricolour, use blueberries, white marshmallows and strawberries or raspberries. It adds a playful World Cup element without making the board feel gimmicky.
<h2>Go desi</h2>
Globetrotting cheesemonger Mansi Jasani shares a last-minute Indo-French recipe for the pav-loving Mumbaikars
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/French-apero_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
Brie Chilli-Cheese Toast
&gt;&gt; Spread green chutney on bread or pav, add sliced Brie, finely chopped green chilli and onion, and toast until the bread is crisp and the cheese has softened.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Mansi-Jasani_e.jpg" alt="Mansi Jasani" width="1280" height="720" /> Mansi Jasani
&gt;&gt; Finish with a small spoonful of mango jam. Its fruitiness works beautifully with Brie&rsquo;s creamy, mellow character while balancing the heat of the chilli and chutney.
<h2>Argentina Dine like a GOAT</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Argentina-team_e.jpg" alt="Pic Courtesy/@afaseleccion" width="1280" height="720" /> Pic Courtesy/@afaseleccion
I&rsquo;m cheering the defending champions Argentina with a nod to Lionel Messi&rsquo;s favourite herb-based condiment, Chimichurri. Dubbed the soul of Argentine cuisine, it pairs well with essentially anything on the menu. The football legend even has a chimichurri chip flavour named after him back home.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Janvi-Bhagat_e.jpg" alt="Janvi Bhagat" width="1280" height="720" /> Janvi Bhagat
You&rsquo;ll be surprised by how familiar Latin American cuisine will feel, despite belonging to a completely different culture. The rich milky, caramel notes in the desserts are reminiscent of traditional Indian sweets and therefore well suited to the Indian palate.
Janvi Bhagat, owner-chef, Limena Latin American Bakery
Tea time
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Messi-Yerba-mate_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
The Argentine football team travels with their own medicinal South American tea, Yerba Mate, made from the Ilex paraguariensis plant. Late Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and even Uruguayan icon Luis Su&aacute;rez who otherwise prefers a quick bite on-field, can&rsquo;t say no to Yerba Mate. AVAILABLE matero.in; chadotea.in
<h2>Chimichurri Cheese Grill</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Chimichurri-Cheese-Grill_e.jpg" alt="PIC COURTESY/Janvi Bhagat" width="1280" height="720" /> PIC COURTESY/Janvi Bhagat
Ingredients
For Chimichurri &gt;&gt; 1 small bunch of finely chopped parsley &gt;&gt; 1 fresh red chilli/ 1 tsp chilli flakes &gt;&gt; 3-4 finely chopped shallots (or sambhar onions) &gt;&gt; 1 tsp white vinegar &gt;&gt; 1 tsp oregano salt and pepper to taste
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Bowl-a_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
For cheese grill &gt;&gt; 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese &gt;&gt; 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese &gt;&gt; 1 tbsp cream cheese &gt;&gt; 1 tbsp butter &gt;&gt; 2 slices of bread (white/multigrain/sourdough)
Method
Mix together all the ingredients for the Chimichurri in a bowl. Add the grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese to the mixture.
Butter the slices of bread on both sides. On one side, spread the cream cheese and place the Chimichurri and cheese mixture on top. Cover this with the second slice of bread. ⁠ In a pan, heat butter and place the sandwich in it. Keeping the heat on medium, grill the sandwich for three minutes before flipping it, and grilling the other side for another three minutes. The sandwich will turn golden brown which means it&rsquo;s ready to serve.
Cut the sandwich diagonally, and serve with your choice of hot sauce.
Learn to say
&gt;&gt;La copa es nuestra: The cup is ours &gt;&gt;Mira covo amanza Messi!: Look at Messi go! &gt;&gt;Alguien puede llamar al &aacute;rbitro?: Can someone dial the referee?
<h2>England&nbsp; For the love of Kane</h2>
My favourites this year are England. For many years, Harry Kane has been pushing the limits, and this year they can achieve it. The British culinary tradition is poles apart from the French and Italian traditions.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/England-team_e.jpg" alt="Pic Courtesy/@england" width="1280" height="720" /> Pic Courtesy/@england
They have their own food culture, especially when it comes to football. Shepherd&rsquo;s Pie is a pub classic. I&rsquo;d recommend replacing the mash with crisps, and a good stout to go with it. You need heavy sustenance on match days.
Chef Harsh Dixit, F&amp;B entrepreneur
<h2>Shepherd&rsquo;s Crisps</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Shepherds-crisps_e.jpg" alt=" Shepherd&rsquo;s Pie and Bruschetta Cheddar Pic Courtesy/Harsh Dixit" width="1280" height="720" /> Shepherd&rsquo;s Pie and Bruschetta Cheddar &nbsp;Pic Courtesy/Harsh Dixit
INGREDIENTS &gt;&gt; Ground meat of choice &gt;&gt; Onion &gt;&gt; Celery &gt;&gt; Carrots &gt;&gt; 3 to 4 pods of garlic &gt;&gt; 1 tbsp tomato paste &gt;&gt; Bay leaf, rosemary, or thyme (as available) &gt;&gt; Black peppercorns &gt;&gt; Worcestershire sauce &gt;&gt; Chicken or meat stock &gt;&gt; English cheddar cheese &gt;&gt; Pickles &gt;&gt; 1 packet of chips
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jul/Harsh-Dixit_e.jpg" alt="Harsh Dixit" width="1280" height="720" /> Harsh Dixit
METHOD
Sautee the meat in a thick bottom pan with the holy trinity of onion, celery and carrots. Add a couple of pods of garlic, tomato paste, herbs at hand, a few black peppercorns, and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. Top it off with some stock and slow cook till the mix reduces to a thick consistency. Season with salt to taste. Open the bag of chips, spoon over the cooked minced meat, scatter it around, grated cheese, pickles, and green onions to garnish. Serve with cold beer.
Sing along
&gt;&gt;Wonderwall by Oasis &gt;&gt;Three Lions by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner, and The Lightning Seeds &gt;&gt;Hey Jude by The Beatles

As Spain, France, Argentina and England make it to the semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026, enjoy these unique dishes from your favourite country this week

FIFA World Cup 2026: Cheer Spain, France, Argentina, England with these traditional dishes

Waffle Day 2026: Indulge in these delicious variations of waffles in Mumbai

Cheer your favourite team at the World Cup semi-finals with grub in hand. Four chefs tell Shriram Iyengar and Devashish Kamble how to bring local tastes to your match-day menu

FIFA World Cup 2026: Support your favourite semi-finalist team by making these unique dishes from the country

Spain
Smooth, Sangria, and Espana

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Mumbai-guide / Mumbai Food / Article / FIFA World Cup 2026: Support your favourite semi-finalist team by making these unique dishes from the country