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Spain’s youth movement dethrones aging Argentina in thrilling World Cup final
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — This summer’s World Cup was so good, nobody wanted it to end.
So Spain and Argentina played on and on in Sunday’s final, through 90 minutes of regulation time and then through a 15-minute extra period before Ferran Torres gave Spain the only goal it needed to claim the title with a 1-0 victory over the defending champion at a sold-out MetLife Stadium.
It was an epic finish to an epic tournament, one that set records for everything from attendance and TV viewers to games played and goals scored. And it was almost certainly the last World Cup for Argentine captain Lionel Messi, 39, who finished his record-setting sixth tournament as the all-time leader in games (34), assists (12) and goal contributions (33).
His parting gift was a silver medal, a handshake from President Trump and a hug from the King of Spain. But none of those were the prize he wanted most, so when he left the stage after receiving his medal, he broke down in tears.
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Spain holds on in the final wild minutes of extra time
Spain 1, Argentina 0, final
Spain held on, denying Lionel Messi and Argentina back-to-back World Cup titles.
The final stretch of extra time included several near misses for an Argentina side pushing for an elusive equalizer.
Spain nearly went up 2-0, but Ferran Torres was called offside in the 113th minute.
Spain’s Nico Williams was called for a foul a minute later, setting up a free kick. The ball was deflected but Argentina got the ball back and Lionel Messi’s pass was deflected for a corner. Argentina took a short corner that fed the ball back to Messi after the inbound and his pass toward the far post sailed off target.
Argentina got possession back and Messi took a shot from outside the right side of the box and it was blocked Mikel Merino’s face. Play stopped while Merino was treated for the hit in the 117th minute. Argentina was awarded a free kick on the left side.
After the delay, Lamine Yamal helped pressure Argentina to reset.
Williams was called for a foul and set up a free kick. Lionel Messi moved up the right side of the field and a cross into the box was narrowly deflected by Spain.
On the ensuing corner, Messi hit the ball into the box and it bounced off Spain players.
On the ensuing corner in the 120th minute, Messi fired to center of the box and Giuliano Simeone fired it high and over the goal.
With two minutes of stoppage time left, Spain fouled Argentina near midfield. Messi booted the ball forward and it was caught easily by Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón.
Simón booted the ball up field and Spain worked to try to keep the ball away from Argentina.
Argentina took one more free kick with about 30 seconds left in stoppage time, but Spain intercepted it and ran out the clock.
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Ferran Torres finally delivers Spain’s first goal in extra time
Spain 1, Argentina 0, 106th minute
Spain finally broke through for its first goal.
After 19 fruitless shots, Ferran Torres punched in a shot off a pass from Nico Williams 39 seconds into the second half of extra time
Pedro Porro set up the sequence with a cross that sailed to the deep left side of the box. Williams saved the ball from reaching the end line and shifted it back to Torres for the huge goal.
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Argentina survives first half of extra time
Argentina 0, Spain 0, extra time halftime
In the 103rd minute, Mike Merino had a very good look at goal from the center of the box, but his shot missed wide right.
A shot by Spain’s Nico Williams was blocked and Argentina mounted a spirited effort to gain possession. Lionel Messi fought off defenders at midfield, but his pass sailed long and Spain wrestled back possession.
The effort ignited chants from Argentina fans.
The first half of extra time ended with both teams scoreless despite Spain earning 19 shots on goal and Argentina earning zero.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez remains a hero for his side with 11 saves, but he has some help from the rest of the Argentina defense in the final third.
The pressure is on Spain to score in the final 15 minutes because its 10-man advantage will be erased in penalty kicks that seem to favor Argentina.
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Emiliano Martínez narrowly dodges giving up Argentina’s first goal
Argentina 0, Spain 0, 99th minute
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez blocked a header from Nico Williams in the 93rd minute as the pressure immediately resumed in extra time.
It appeared Spain scored the game’s first goal a few minutes later, but Spain’s Mikel Merino was called for a foul before Williams’ shot hit the back of the net.
Martínez blocked the first shot in Spain’s run and appeared to injure his hand while trying to stop Williams’ follow-up shot.
The match was delayed several minutes while Martínez was treated and he stayed in the game.
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Argentina goes down to 10 men, teams remain scoreless and head to extra time
Argentina 0, Spain 0, 90th minute + 9
Ferran Torres took an off target shot in the 87th minute and Rodri fired from long range and it sailed over the cross bar in the 89th minute.
In the first minute of stoppage time Aymeric Laport was called for fouling Lionel Messi.
Argentina went short on the free kick and Messi had some build up to the box, but was surrounded by Spaniards and his touch was blocked.
Argentina managed to get the ball back, but Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón blocked the ensuing shot.
Spain pushed up field and Nico Williams shot from the right side of the box, but Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez got his ninth save of the game.
Enzo Fernández made a late challenge and flipped Pau Cubarsí into the air. The referee issued a second yellow card and Fernández was sent off. Argentina tried argue Marc Cucurella said something to Messi while covering his mouth, which would a red card. After a VAR review, the yellow card stood and only Argentina went down to 10 men.
Leandro Paredes made a late challenge outside the box and Spain got a free kick in dangerous territory. Lamine Yamal booted the ball over the wall, but Martínez got his record 10th save of the game despite playing with a broken finger.
Martínez’s deflection set up a Spain corner, but Argentina cleared the threat and we’re going to extra time.
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Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is keeping his team alive under heavy pressure from Spain
Argentina 0, Spain 0, 85th minute
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is his team’s MVP at the moment, tying a World Cup record with eight saves under relentless pressure.
In the 70th minute, Argentina Defender Facundo Medina replaced injured Cristian Romero and forward Guiliano Simeone replaced midfielder Rodrigo De Paul.
A minute later, Spain midfielder Mikel Merino replaced Dani Olmo and forward Nico Williams replaced Álex Baena.
In the 77th minute, Pedri was pushed as he shot from outside the box and it was saved by Martínez.
Pau Cubarsí got the ball soon after and his shot from the center of the box was saved by Martínez.
Argentina fended off two more Spain corners before Aymeric Laporte’s shot was saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in the 81st minute.
Frustration is flaring on the Argentina side, with no shots on goal and constant defensive effort. Enzo Fernandez complained that Spain wasn’t called for a foul while breaking up a run and he was hit with a yellow card for dissent in the 82nd minute.
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Spain keeps pressure on Argentina goalkeeper leading up to hydration break
Argentina 0, Spain 0, 67th minute
Argentina coach Nico González opted for more experience in his lineup, with midfielder Leandro Paredes replacing forward Nico González at halftime.
Spain charged forward quickly, with Mikel Oyarzabal passing ahead to Álex Baena, who took a powerful shot from outside the box that was saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
Paredes crashed into Spain’s Rodri and picked up a yellow card in the 52nd minute. But Paredes seems to be doing exactly what Argentina wanted, stepping in for the injured Beast and disrupting Spain’s flow as much as possible.
Spain mounted two more runs that were broken up by Argentina.
After Gonzalo Montiel delivered a goal-saving tackle, he was replaced in the Argentina lineup by Nahuel Molina in the 58th minute.
In the 61st minute, Spain earned a free kick on the right side of the box. Lamine Yamal booted the ball straight into the wall and Argentina earned a throw-in after a battle to get the deflection.
In the 62nd minute, Ferran Torres replaced Mikel Oyarzabal and Predi replaced Fabian Ruiz for Spain.
Two minutes later, Dani Olmo fired a shot from outside the box following a free kick, but Argentina’ Martínez was able to deflect the ball and it bounced out for a Spain corner.
Spain didn’t convert the set piece but earned two more corners back-to-back, with six total so far this match.
Olmo’s header off a build up by Lamine Yamal was blocked and Ferran Torres’ header off a corner pass by Yamal was blocked by Martínez.
Cristian Romero was injured, so the official triggered the hydration break in the 67th minute.
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First World Cup halftime show brings Super Bowl halftime show energy
The first World Cup halftime show brought all the energy of a Super Bowl halftime show.
Madonna saved organizers some headaches by doing part of her performance of her hit song “Music” in the stadium concourse and riding in an open air cart to the stadium entrance with World Cup stars Ronaldo and Ronaldinho joining her.
Gustavo Dudamel and the New York Ronaldinho joined the Muppets for a rendition of “Seven Nation Army” followed by some Norway-inspired chanting.
BTS sang “Dynamite,” then Justin Bieber was introduced by Jason Sudekis and Brendan Hunt in character by Ted Lasso and Coach Beard.
Shakira then sang the World Cup anthem “Dai Dai” with Burna Boy.
The PS 22 Chorus sang and Coldplay’s Chris Martin played piano to close the show in a bid for unity.
Martin curated the show that FIFA says will benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, aiming to raise $100 million to expand access to education and football for kids worldwide.
The halftime break took about 10 minutes longer than a normal World Cup
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Spain can’t convert chances, Argentina loses its Butcher as teams remain scoreless at half
Argentina 0, Spain 0, halftime
In the 39th minute, the ball falls to Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal in the box, but he didn’t have much time to put enough power behind his shot and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez leaned out for the save.
In the 41st minute, Argentina’s Lisandro Martínez got a yellow card for a late tackle that impeded a clear path up field.
In the 43rd minute, Spain’s Marc Cucurella took a shot from the left side of the field beyond the box. It had pace but sailed wide right.
Martínez was injured on the play and in a surprise adjustment for Argentina, the defender had to be replaced by Nicolás Otamendi. Martínez is nicknamed “The Butcher” because of his aggressive style of play and he’s a significant loss for Argentina.
Lionel Messi continued to play up in the midfield more than usual to try to help his team disrupt Spain’s run of play.
Argentina has not yet shown it can punch through Spain’s final third, but the team has been in this position earlier in the World Cup and found second-half goals.
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Spain dominates possession but neither team gets many looks at goal
Argentina 0, Spain 0, 24th minute
Both teams have generated runs early, with Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón running far in front of the box to intercept a ball that Lionel Messi was driving toward in an extremely dangerous position.
Lamine Yamal has been active, with a foul, a shot saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and other shots and crosses into the box intercepted by the Argentina defense.
Both teams have earned free kicks off fouls, but neither have done much with it.
Spain has dominated possession as expected and earned two corners.
Argentina pressed to start, settled back in a more packed defensive formation and then rolled out a press again.
Messi tried to move up field a bit more to try to break up Spain’s possession dominance and was fouled before the hydration break.
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And we’re off at 12:06 p.m. PDT
Argentina 0, Spain 0, 1st minute
We have no lineup surprises and only a slightly delayed kickoff despite all the pregame festivities and enhanced security with President Trump and at least three other heads of state in attendance for the World Cup final
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Why so many Latin Americans are rooting against Argentina in the World Cup
MEXICO CITY — Argentina may be the last Latin American team standing in the World Cup, but don’t expect many fans in Mexico to be cheering for La Albiceleste — the lads sporting the classic white and blue stripes.
“There’s no way I want the Argentines to win,” said Roberto García, 55, who owns a clothing shop in the Mexican capital. “How can one sympathize with a team that has such a supremacist, racist discourse?”
The Argentine squad — reigning world champions led by seemingly ageless superstar Lionel Messi — faces off Wednesday in a semifinal match against England. Argentina is seeking its fourth World Cup, which would put it in a second-place tie for global titles with Germany and Italy, trailing only Brazil and its five cups.
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FIFA grass in NFL stadiums reignites debate over pro football’s use of artificial turf
FIFA’s natural grass transformation of SoFi Stadium and six other NFL stadiums with artificial surfaces for this summer’s World Cup reignited the debate over grass versus synthetic turf.
Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis long ago took a side in the fight.
“I just always felt that football should be played on grass,” Davis told The Times. “That’s for safety purposes, No. 1. I want it to look like a game was played even if it’s an indoor field. You see grass stains and everything else. I wasn’t going to a stadium without it being grass once I knew that capability was there. Obviously, it added a lot of cost, but it’s worth it.”
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World Cup winner will earn $51 million under expanded purse
The winner of the World Cup will hoist a trophy, receive championship rings for the first time and gain a lifetime of glory in what will be a defining moment in the country’s sports history. It’ll also lead to a significant payday.
The World Cup winner earns $51 million. The second prize is $34 million.
FIFA expanded the payout for the 2026 World Cup, setting a record with a combined $871 million paid to the 48 participating teams. That tally includes more than $100 million that was added in April after some federations in Europe lobbied for help to cover costs at a tournament across three countries that has required extensive travel and lodging costs.
The $51 million for either Argentina or Spain is a large sum, but it also pales in comparison to the fortunes that are spent on global soccer. It’s also smaller than what last year’s Club World Cup winner earned in a tournament also played in the U.S.
For perspective, the $51 million for the winner is less than the transfer fee paid Tuesday by English club Brighton for a 19-year-old defender who spent most of the World Cup on the bench, Croatia’s Luka Vušković.
Here’s what to know about the World Cup prize money:
All teams get paid
FIFA pays money to the 48 national federations in two categories: Prize money bonuses based on how far each team advances in the tournament and across-the-board payments to cover training and preparation costs.
All 48 get at least $12.5 million for competing in the World Cup, including $10 million in prize money for qualifying and playing in the group stage. Each receives $2.5 million for pre-tournament training and expenses. That upfront money was agreed at past World Cups to help avoid pre-tournament tensions when it wasn’t uncommon for players to claim that bonuses had not been paid by their federation.
The prize money goes up depending on how far the teams advance.
Higher payouts come after demands from federations
Some federations, especially from Europe, had told FIFA that the prize money structure and payments for preparation costs that had been set last year would see them lose money on the tournament unless their team went deep into the knockout rounds.
France federation president Philippe Diallo told sports daily L’Equipe he had for several months drawn FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s attention to World Cup teams not being properly rewarded, compared to what Club World Cup winner Chelsea got one year ago. That was $115 million, after FIFA had to promise a nine-figure reward that persuaded storied European clubs to play in the revamped competition.
World Cup teams playing games in the United States also faced some tax obligations that are exempted in Canada and Mexico.
World Cup champion gets the big bucks
The eventual champion receives $51 million, compared to Argentina’s federation $42 million for winning the 2022 tournament in Qatar. That 32-team edition had a total prize fund of $440 million.
Here is what the others are getting:
Runner-up: $34 million
Third place (England): $30 million
Fourth place (France): $28 million
Quarterfinalists (fifth to eight): $20 million each
Round of 16 (ninth to 16th): $16 million each
Round of 32 (17th to 32nd): $12 million each
Group stage (33rd-48th): $10 million each
Flights and hotels are covered
In addition to the payout sums and under World Cup regulations, FIFA is already obliged to pay for business‑class return flights for each federation to travel to the tournament plus board and lodging for a 50-person delegation, which includes the players. The hotel payments start five nights before a team’s first game and one night after it is eliminated.
FIFA also covers the cost of domestic travel for up to 50 delegation members, and “a dedicated fleet of vehicles, including an equipment truck.”
The soccer federations of World Cup teams must pay for “adequate insurance ... including but not limited to injury, accident, disease and travel,” plus “incidental hotel costs” and housing additional members of a delegation.
The World Cup trophy
The greatest honor, of course, is the World Cup trophy.
On Sunday, the champions will celebrate with it after the final whistle during an award ceremony. The original trophy is not awarded permanently. Instead, the winners will be presented with a gold-plated replica, which they get to keep.
As for World Cup prize money, that’s paid by FIFA to the federations — not the players. It’s up to each federation’s rules how they handle the money.
For example: U.S. soccer will get to keep 20% of the prize money. The remaining 80% that the U.S. men’s national soccer team receives will be split evenly between the men’s and women’s national teams following a 2022 milestone agreement to pay its men’s and women’s teams equally, making the American national governing body the first in the sport to promise both sexes matching money.
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Lionel Messi chases historic World Cup repeat as Argentina faces Spain in final
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The list of men who have won a World Cup final is less than 500 names long, making it among the most exclusive in sports.
Jurgen Klinsmann’s name is on that list. And if he had known what a special club he would join when he stepped on the pitch for West Germany in the 1990 final, he might have taken more time to enjoy it.
“How big that actually was, you only realize when you start traveling the world and you get basically approached everywhere in the world about those moments,” Klinsmann, who went on to coach Germany and the United States in the World Cup, said Friday. “It’s pretty crazy.”
Several new names will be added to that list Sunday, when Spain and Argentina meet at MetLife Stadium to decide the winner of the largest, most complex World Cup in history. A record 48 teams started the tournament 39 days and 103 games ago. Now just two remain: Spain, the reigning European champion, a team that hasn’t lost in 37 games and 27 months, and top-ranked Argentina, the reigning World Cup champion seeking to become the first team to repeat in 64 years.
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Commentary: SoFi Stadium proves to be one of the biggest stars of the 2026 World Cup
Erling Haaland and SoFi Stadium, ladies and gentlemen. Your breakout stars of the World Cup.
We’ve all fallen for the blond forward who has rowed Norway to its first World Cup quarterfinal berth — and also for SoFi Stadium.
Or “Los Angeles Stadium,” FIFA’s designation for the $5.5-billion architectural masterpiece that welcomed the world to Inglewood.
I cover Rams and Chargers games there regularly, but the World Cup changed how I feel about the place. It has more soul now, more character.
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Long lines of fans, media outside MetLife Stadium ahead of World Cup final
Secret Service security checks and shifts in which entrances FIFA wanted people to use, led to extremely long lines at MetLife Stadium Sunday ahead of the World Cup.
Members of the media, volunteers and halftime peformers waited in a line that took some as long as four hours to pass, while fans have waited more than two hours to get in their gates.
Many remain in line with about 90 minutes before kickoff.
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How World Cup senior citizens like Lionel Messi have bio-hacked longer careers
While every World Cup introduces viewers to new young stars, this tournament featured eight players who were older than 40 — one more than the number of over-40 players in the previous 22 World Cups combined.
Among them were Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, and Mexico’s Memo Ochoa, 40, who were playing in their sixth World Cups alongside Argentina’s Lionel Messi, a relative youngster at 39. No one has played in more men’s World Cups.
But while Ronaldo and Ochoa have gone home, Messi will be playing in his third semifinal in four tournaments Wednesday when Argentina, the reigning champion, faces England at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
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Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, stars of iconic photo shoot, to battle for World Cup crown
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The spotlight on Sunday’s World Cup final will shine brightest on two men, one playing the last game of his sixth tournament and the other the final game of his first.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi, 39, is arguably the greatest player in World Cup history, having played more games, scored more goals and collected more assists than anyone who has gone before him. If Argentina wins Sunday, he’ll match another record as captain of the first team to win back-to-back titles in 64 years.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, may be the heir to all that. He’s already scored 56 goals and won seven major trophies for club and country; Messi had 11 goals and four trophies at the same age.
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U.K. urges FIFA to investigate Argentina over Falklands banner at World Cup
LONDON — The British government on Thursday urged FIFA to investigate Argentina’s team after players posed with a banner claiming sovereignty over the contested Falkland Islands.
Argentina beat England 2-1 in a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta.
During post-match celebrations, Argentine players held a banner handed over by fans in the stands, reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” — “The Malvinas are Argentine.”
Argentina refers to the Falkland Islands as Islas Malvinas. They were invaded in 1982 under orders from Argentina’s then-military dictatorship, triggering a 10-week war won by Britain.
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How Spain ‘recaptured the spirit of 2010’ in its run to the World Cup final
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — If something happened once, it can happen again. That’s kind of what Yogi Berra was getting at when he said “it’s like deja vu all over again.”
Berra, the late Yankee catcher and once New Jersey’s unofficial poet laureate, spent most of his life within walking distance of East Rutherford, N.J., where history could repeat itself all over again in Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. And that makes his words newly relevant.
Argentina and Lionel Messi, the reigning champions, will be seeking to become the first to repeat in 64 years while Spain will be playing in the title game for just the second time ever. And the similarities to its first trip, in 2010, are uncanny.
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Commentary: World Cup shows MLS still needs to achieve major goals to grow the game
Remember when we were sure the World Cup would suffer from all the issues that had everyone seeing red before the first ball was kicked?
And remember when we were certain soccer could never catch on in this country?
Despite controversies over visas and ticket prices and transportation, and in spite of consternation over expansion and new rules, the game has, as usual, proved too good to fail.
And we, the American people, have become unusually engrossed in it.
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News Analysis: Seven reasons why U.S. men’s soccer keeps crashing out of the World Cup
Before this summer’s World Cup, FIFA asked the 48 participating teams to provide a list of songs to be played during warmups and goal celebrations and, if appropriate, after victories. On the U.S. list was John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” which quickly became the anthem of the team’s run through the tournament.
A more appropriate choice would have been the Buzzcocks’ “Sixteen Again,” because once again that’s where the Americans’ World Cup ended.
In the round of 16. Again.
This was supposed to be the year the U.S. broke through. With a roster full of players from major European teams and 13 who were World Cup veterans, a lack of quality and experience no longer were valid excuses.
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With World Cup glory on the line, Argentina fans flock to this family-run Valley mercado
On most mornings, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, Mercado Buenos Aires is quiet. A few older Argentine men might sip coffee with medialunas and chat about soccer and politics in the family-owned deli.
But on a recent June afternoon, as Argentina faced off with Algeria in a group-stage match at the World Cup, soccer fans stood on tables, families in sky-blue-and-white Lionel Messi jerseys chanted in unison, and every goal sent the room into gleeful mayhem.
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How VAR, a system designed to correct errors, became this World Cup’s biggest villain
Croatia’s World Cup was seconds away from being over and Portugal was seconds away from the round of 16 when Ivan Perisic sent a long, desperate cross into the penalty area. The ball bounced off bodies like a pinball before magically, unbelievably, caroming into the net.
Gooooooallllllll!!!!
Fate had given Croatia a reprieve.
But as pandemonium broke out in the stands and on the pitch, Norwegian referee Espen Eskas stood in the middle of the celebration in Toronto, hand to his ear, listening to a voice half a continent away in Dallas.
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Magical Lionel Messi leads Argentina past England for trip back to World Cup final
ATLANTA — The jury is still out on whether Lionel Messi is the greatest soccer player ever. But there should be no doubt he’s the greatest to ever play in a World Cup.
And you don’t need the records, the wins or the goals to prove that — although he certainly has enough of those. You just need to see Messi at his most magical, as he was Wednesday, setting up a pair of game-changing goals in a seven-minute span to lift Argentina to a 2-1 win over England and into Sunday’s World Cup final with Spain.
“It’s really hard to speak right now, but I’m going to try not to cry,” Lautaro Martínez, who scored the winning goal two minutes into stoppage time, said in Spanish. “I’m already overwhelmed inside. It’s incredible. Everything we’ve achieved is just incredible.”
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Spain delivers surprise rout of France, clinches berth into World Cup final
ARLINGTON, Texas — In a World Cup boasting a galaxy of stars, a lunch-bucket team of blue-collar everymen may wind up outshining them all.
Spain clinched a berth to the final Tuesday by smothering France 2-0 at AT&T Stadium, running its unbeaten streak to 37 games while eliminating a team that had run roughshod through the tournament.
And it wasn’t even close. France came into the game with 16 goals, second only to Argentina in the tournament, then failed to put a shot on goal in the first 81 minutes.
It had Kylian Mbappé, who is tied with Lionel Messi for the scoring lead this summer and was the Golden Boot winner four years ago in Qatar. He was all but invisible until, frustrated, he felled Spanish keeper Unai Simón with a cheap shot in the final minutes, drawing a well-deserved yellow card.
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World Cup appears to have dodged worse wildfire smoke thanks to rain
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Showers and thunderstorms triggered a flash flood warning for Manhattan and northeastern New Jersey on Saturday, but the rain also helped blow out the smoke from Canadian wildfires that had choked the tristate area for days and threatened to disrupt Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
Concerns about hazardous air quality led the White House and FIFA to hold informal discussions Friday over the possibility of moving the game, with the most likely venue being Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
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World Cup final preview: Argentina vs. Spain
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: Noon
TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: Argentina has a chance to become the first repeat World Cup champion since Brazil in 1962, which would give Lionel Messi another grand achievement in his sixth and likely final World Cup.
Messi enters the weekend second behind France’s Kylian Mbappé in all-time World Cup goals. But unbeaten Argentina hasn’t made things easy for itself, with its winning goals in the four knockout-round games coming in the 92nd minute or later.
Spain, the reigning European champion, will be playing to put a second star on its jersey to match the one it won in 2010.
La Roja, with the sixth-youngest roster in the World Cup, got to the final on the strength of spectacular defense led by Unai Simón, who has six clean sheets in seven games. Mikel Oyarzabal is the team’s leading scorer with five World Cup goals.
The teams had one common opponent in this tournament, tiny Cape Verde, a World Cup debutante. It played Spain to a scoreless draw in its opener, then held Argentina to a 1-1 standoff into extra time before falling.
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Looking back at the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far
The first 33 days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup offered plenty of memorable moments.
Check out The Times’ daily recaps ahead of Sunday’s championship match between Spain and Argentina:
England nearly surrenders a four-goal lead before holding on for a 6-4 win over France despite Kylian Mbappé becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Argentina scored in stoppage time and defeated England 2-1 during a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta, returning to the final.
Follow along as France faces Spain in the FIFA World Cup semifinals on Tuesday at noon PDT (Fox, Telemundo). Get the latest news, results and highlights.
Argentina defeats Switzerland and England topples Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals to set up a semifinal showdown on Wednesday.
Live updates from the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium at noon PDT (Fox, Telemundo). Get the latest news, results and highlights.
France defeats Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals to be the first team to reach the semifinals. Get the latest news, results and highlights.
Live updates from Tuesday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Monday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Sunday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Saturday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Friday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Thursday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
England and Belgium rallied from early deficits and the U.S. held on despite a red card, winning Wednesday to clear the first World Cup knockout round.
Kylian Mbappé scored his fifth and sixth World Cup goals, leading France to a World Cup knockout round win Tuesday. Mexico and Norway also advanced.
Recapping Monday’s knockout-round wins by Brazil, Paraguay and Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights.
Live updates from Canada vs. South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news and results as the knockout rounds begin.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Recapping Day 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
South Africa pulled off a stunning 1-0 win over South Korea Wednesday night, advancing to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.
Cristiano Ronaldo snapped out of his goal scoring slump to lead Portugal to a win, while Ghana held Harry Kane and England and Colombia rallied to beat Congo.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Recapping what happened at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Harry Kane tied a World Cup record during England’s win, Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless during a draw, Ghana stunned Panama and more during Day 7.
Stars Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi all scored while leading France, Norway and Argentina to wins on Day 6 of the 2026 World Cup.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team tournament.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Folarin Balogun scores twice and Christian Pulisic sets up two goals to lead the U.S. to a 4-1 win in its World Cup opener over Paraguay on Friday.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Mexico defeats South Africa 2-0 in a game that featured three red cards. Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored for Mexico in front of 80,824 fans.