LIVE – Spain vs Argentina: 2026 World Cup Final

After 38 days, 103 games and 307 goals – everything is decided in a single game. Spain and Argentina meet in the World Cup final, and Lionel Messi is chasing his second straight World Cup gold.

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NOW: Spain – Argentina

Location: New York New Jersey Stadium
Referee: Slavko Vinčić

This is how the teams line up

Spain starting eleven (4-2-3-1)

Unai Simón – Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí, Pedro Porro – Fabián Ruiz, Rodri – Álex Baena, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal – Mikel Oyarzabal

Spain’s substitutes: David Raya, Marc Pubill, Alejandro Grimaldo, Eric García, Marcos Llorente, Mikel Merino, Ferran Torres, Gavi, Yeremy Pino, Joan García, Nico Williams, Martín Zubimendi, Pedri, Víctor Muñoz, Borja Iglesias

Argentina’s starting eleven (4-4-2)

Emiliano Martínez – Nicolás Tagliafico, Lisandro Martínez, Cristian Romero, Gonzalo Montiel – Nico González, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul – Julián Álvarez, Lionel Messi

Argentina’s substitutes: Juan Musso, Marcos Senesi, Leandro Paredes, Valentín Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Gerónimo Rulli, Exequiel Palacios, Thiago Almada, Giuliano Simeone, Nico Paz, Nicolás Otamendi, José Manuel López, Lautaro Martínez, Facundo Medina, Nahuel Molina

Before the game: The big showdown

Spain are in the World Cup final for the first time since their triumph in South Africa 16 years ago. The way to get here? A convincing 2-0 win over France in the semi-finals, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scoring goals. De la Fuentes’ men have grown throughout the tournament and go into the final with 37 games without defeat – 28 wins and 9 draws. The last time they lost? Against Colombia in March 2024. If they avoid defeat tonight, they will set a new European record for longest unbeaten streak – Italy also held 37 games between 2018 and 2021.

Argentina, on the other hand, have the chance to defend their World Cup title after a dramatic semi-final against England. They were 1-0 down from the 55th minute, before Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez turned the game around – both goals prepared by Lionel Messi. Now the Argentines are chasing their fourth World Cup title (1978, 1986, 2022) and could become the third team in history with two straight World Cup golds.

Key figures before the final

• Argentina is the sixth reigning champion team to reach a World Cup final. The first two won – Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962 – while the last three lost: Argentina in 1990, Brazil in 1998 and France in 2022.
• This is the first time that the teams ranked number 1 (Argentina) and number 2 (Spain) in the FIFA World Rankings meet in a World Cup.
• Argentina is playing its seventh World Cup final – only Germany has played more (8).
• Messi becomes the second player in history with three World Cup finals (2014, 2022, 2026), joining Brazil’s Cafu (1994, 1998, 2002).
• At 39 years and 25 days , Messi could become the oldest outfield player in a World Cup final ever.
• Argentina have won all seven matches in this World Cup and could become the first team since Brazil in 2002 to win 100 percent in a single championship.
• Spain have kept a clean sheet in six games – more than any other team in a single World Cup.
• Mikel Oyarzabal has scored five goals in the 2026 World Cup – equalling the record for Spain in one championship, shared with Emilio Butragueño (1986) and David Villa (2010).
• Lamine Yamal is the third youngest player in a World Cup final ever (19 years, 6 days), behind Pelé (17 years, 249 days) and Giuseppe Bergomi (18 years, 201 days). Yamal and Cubarsí are fourth and fifth among teenagers starting a World Cup final – the previous three (Pelé, Bergomi, Mbappé) all lifted the trophy.
• Argentina could become the first team ever to win four straight major trophies – the World Cup and the continental championship.
• Argentina’s streak of 13 consecutive World Cup matches with 2+ goals is the longest in history.

How to watch the final

Historic meeting

The teams have met 14 times in the past – six wins each and two draws. Spain have won four of their last six meetings. The last time they met was in a friendly in March 2018, when Spain won 6-1 – one of only five times Argentina have conceded six goals in a match.

And while we wait for kick-off: Spain have won all of their last six games with a goal difference of 13-1. Argentina have won 14 in a row and are in Euros and World Cup winning form.

Now: 90 minutes – or more – that will make history.