Spain's Defense Meets Argentina's Firepower in Championship Clash
Spain's unbeaten streak faces Argentina's back-to-back title bid in the July 19 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
Event / Sports
2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament, featuring matches, results, and related developments from the competition.
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2026-08-15 to 2026-11-12 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 5 Jul, 22:53 UTC
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What happened
Spain wins 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeats Argentina in final
Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup held in North America, defeating Argentina in the final. Argentina reached the final after rallying past England in the semifinals. Spain's defense held Argentina without a shot on goal in the final match.
Argentina reaches consecutive World Cup finals
Argentina reached two consecutive FIFA World Cup finals, winning the 2022 tournament in Qatar on penalty kicks against France following a 3-3 draw, and reaching the 2026 final in North America where they were defeated by Spain.
Messi ages 39 during 2026 World Cup tournament
Lionel Messi turned 39 years old during the 2026 World Cup. He will turn 43 during the 2030 World Cup scheduled to be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
Lionel Messi rests following 2026 World Cup, misses Inter Miami matches
Lionel Messi and teammate Rodrigo De Paul will not play in Inter Miami's next two regular-season MLS matches or participate in the MLS All-Star Game as they rest and recover following the 2026 World Cup.
Lionel Messi finishes 2026 World Cup with 21 goals
Lionel Messi finished the 2026 World Cup with 21 total career World Cup goals, breaking Miroslav Klose's previous record of 16. He was subsequently surpassed by Kylian Mbappé, who scored 22 World Cup goals. Mbappé also won the Golden Boot with 10 goals in the tournament compared to Messi's 8 in the 2026 tournament.
Rodri crowned Golden Ball winner as best World Cup player
Spain's midfielder Rodri was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player at the 2026 World Cup.
Spain holds both men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously
Spain's World Cup victory in 2026, combined with winning the Women's World Cup in 2023, makes Spain the first nation to hold both men's and women's World Cup titles at the same time.
Luis de la Fuente becomes oldest World Cup-winning coach
Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente, at age 65, became the oldest man to lead a team to a World Cup title.
Spain's record defensive performance: only one goal conceded
Spain allowed only one goal across eight matches during its World Cup run, setting a record for the fewest goals conceded by a World Cup champion.
Kylian Mbappé wins Golden Boot with 10 World Cup goals
France's Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot award for top scorer at the World Cup with 10 goals, one more than Argentina's Lionel Messi who scored 8 goals.
Post-match confrontation between Spain and Argentina players
After the final whistle of the World Cup final, tempers flared between Argentina and Spain players and coaching staff, with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and players from both sides engaging in pushing and shoving.
Argentina players display 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' banner after semifinal
After Argentina's semifinal match, several Argentine players including Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez and former Spurs midfielder Giovani Lo Celso were seen carrying and posing with a banner reading 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' (The Falkland Islands are Argentine) in front of supporters.
Argentina's Enzo Fernández sent off late in World Cup final
Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off in the second half of stoppage time during the World Cup final after receiving a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. This reduced Argentina to 10 men late in regulation play, affecting the match outcome.
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón wins Golden Glove award
Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simón won the Golden Glove award as the tournament's best goalkeeper after conceding only one goal during Spain's eight matches in the World Cup.
2027 Women's World Cup scheduled for Brazil
Brazil will host the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2027.
Saudi Arabia expected to host 2034 World Cup
Saudi Arabia is widely expected to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034.
President Trump handed out medals after World Cup final
President Donald Trump was present at the World Cup final to hand out medals to the winning and runner-up teams. He was reportedly loudly booed as he entered the field.
2030 World Cup to be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain
The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be primarily co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
Celebrations held in Madrid following Spain's World Cup victory
Following Spain's World Cup victory, countless people spilled into the streets of Madrid and other places in Spain, celebrating the victory into the early hours of Monday morning.
Spain wins 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating Argentina 1-0 in final
Spain defeated defending champion Argentina 1-0 in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday at New Jersey Stadium. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute of extra time. The victory marks Spain's second World Cup title, with the first coming in 2010. This was the 104th and final match of the 48-team tournament held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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2 alternative perspectives
England defeats France 6-4 in thrilling World Cup third-place playoff
England beats France 6-4 in third-place playoff; Deschamps ends 14-year France tenure.
Mbappé scores 22 goals as Spain, Argentina set for final showdown
Spain and Argentina meet in the World Cup final with Mbappé having scored 22 goals and Vincic officiating.
Spain's defensive mastery and Argentina's scoring power collide in final
Spain's defensive fortress faces Argentina's championship experience and scoring power in the World Cup final.
Rodri guides Spain to final after injury recovery, captaincy transition
Rodri leads Spain's midfield and captaincy in World Cup final after injury comeback and leadership transition.
Final day logistics dominate World Cup championship preparations
Final day logistics show 80-degree weather, $10,000+ tickets, and major betting interest ahead of Spain-Argentina championship match.
Spain's defensive fortress faces Argentina's championship pedigree in final
Spain and Argentina meet in the World Cup final with Spain unbeaten and Argentina defending their title.
Spain and Argentina set for World Cup final showdown in New Jersey
Spain and Argentina reach the World Cup final; Spain beat France 2-0, Argentina defeated England 2-1.
Mbappé becomes sole World Cup goal-scoring record holder
Mbappé becomes sole World Cup goal-scoring record holder with 20 tournament goals.
England defeats France 6-4 in thrilling third-place playoff
England beats France 6-4 in World Cup third-place match with Saka's hat-trick.
Argentina to host 2030 World Cup as defending champions
Argentina will co-host 2030 World Cup after winning back-to-back championships.
FIFA halts halftime to 30 minutes as smoke threatens final conditions
FIFA extends World Cup Final halftime to 30 minutes amid Canadian wildfire smoke affecting northeastern air quality.