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By Vikram Iyer — 16 July 2026 — 3 min read

World Cup final matchup set

The World Cup final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m. ET, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The match will feature Argentina against Spain. This marks the first final held on American soil since 1994, and it is part of a tournament that expanded to 48 teams, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Argentina secured its spot in the final by defeating England 2-1 in a semifinal match on Wednesday. Spain advanced after beating France in their semifinal on Tuesday. This championship game will bring together two teams that held the top two positions in FIFA‘s world rankings before the World Cup began, with Argentina ranked No. 1 and Spain at No. 2.

The final is anticipated to draw an audience of 82,500 fans to MetLife Stadium. The afternoon kickoff time was chosen to accommodate prime-time viewing in Europe, with a 9 p.m. start in much of Europe and 8 p.m. in Britain.

Team paths to the final

Argentina, the defending champion, is aiming for its fourth World Cup title and seeks to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since Brazil achieved the feat in 1958 and 1962. The team has been in strong form, with a record of seven wins, zero draws, and zero losses in the tournament. Their group stage victories included beating Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0, and Jordan 3-1. In the knockout stage, Argentina overcame Cape Verde 3-2, Egypt 3-2, Switzerland 3-1, and England 2-1.

Spain is vying for its second World Cup title, having previously won in 2010. Their tournament record stands at six wins, one draw, and zero losses. In the group stage, Spain drew with Cape Verde 0-0, defeated Saudi Arabia 4-0, and beat Uruguay 1-0. Their path through the knockout stage included wins against Austria 3-0, Portugal 1-0, Belgium 2-1, and France 2-0.

Both teams enter the final with notable unbeaten streaks. Spain has maintained a 37-match unbeaten run across all competitions and friendlies, with 28 wins and nine draws. Their last defeat was in March 2024, a 1-0 loss to Colombia. Argentina is unbeaten in its last 13 World Cup matches, securing 11 victories and two draws since a loss to Saudi Arabia at the start of the 2022 tournament.

Key players and viewing information

The final will feature a matchup between Lionel Messi of Argentina and Lamine Yamal of Spain. Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, is noted as a prolific goal scorer in the tournament’s history. Yamal, a left-footed star for Spanish club Barcelona, was famously photographed as a baby with Messi in 2007 as part of a UNICEF program.

The game was originally scheduled as a Finalissima match between the two teams in Doha, Qatar, in late March, but it was cancelled due to security concerns in the Middle East. Instead, they will meet in this World Cup final. Spain has been listed as an early favorite with odds of +120, while Argentina has odds of +275, and a draw is set at +200.

For viewers in the United States, the final will be broadcast in English on Fox and in Spanish on Telemundo. Streaming options include the FOX One app and Peacock for the Spanish broadcast, as well as YouTube TV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV for subscribers.

Source: apnews.com