Spain and Argentina set to clash in 2026 World Cup final
Spain seeks its second World Cup title while Argentina aims for back-to-back championships as both teams enter the final at MetLife Stadium.
Spain and Argentina will meet in the 2026 men’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday. Spain arrives on a 37-match unbeaten run in regulation time, matching Italy’s all-time record, and has conceded only one goal in its seven matches so far. Young forward Lamine Yamal, a breakout star who helped win the 2024 Euro title, and veteran Mikel Oyarzabal, who has tied David Villa’s single-tournament scoring record for Spain, are among the key players. Goalkeeper Unai Simón has kept a clean sheet for a tournament-record 650 minutes.
Argentina, the defending champions, look to become the first team to repeat as world champions since Brazil in the early 1960s. Lionel Messi, now the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals, entered the final with eight goals in the tournament, the most of any player. Midfielder Enzo Fernández and forwards Julian Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez have been added to support Messi, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez returns as the reigning Golden Glove winner.
"Spain came into the tournament as the favorite," analyst Paul Tenorio said, noting the team’s unbeaten streak.
"Argentina is Argentina. They've won three consecutive international tournaments going into this World Cup, and they've done it with the best player of all time, Lionel Messi being kind of the heartbeat of the team," Tenorio added.
Both sides have navigated a historic 39-day tournament that featured 48 nations, the largest field in World Cup history.