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It all comes down to this: Spain and Argentina will meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium in the biggest game in the world. It is a clash between two elite national teams that had notable performances in their respective semi-finals.
It pits the reigning European champion, who is undefeated in their last 14 major tournament matches (13 wins and one draw) against a team whose success is unparalleled, such as the two-time Copa America champions and the defending World Cup champions.
Here’s everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup final:
Spain vs. Argentina: how to watch
Winning any major international tournament is exceptionally difficult, as it requires world-class talent, a top coach, no days off and even a little bit of luck. On Sunday, Argentina will try to win its fourth consecutive major tournament in what would be an unprecedented feat.
Of course, the achievement was made possible by Lionel Messi, widely considered the greatest player of all time.
What is surprising about Messi’s career is that most of his international success began at age 34 with the 2021 Copa América, when he was named best player of the tournament and led Argentina to its first title since 1993. He then won the World Cup in 2022 at age 35, where he was again named best player. Argentina repeated the Copa América title in 2024 in the United States despite the fact that Messi scored only one goal and left the final injured.
Now, in the 2026 World Cup, Messi has once again dominated the tournament at 39 years old. He scored Argentina’s first five goals in the tournament and only three of the team’s 14 goals in the last five games. What’s so impressive is that in the last five games he’s played the best he can because he’s been elevating his teammates.
Against England, Messi took advantage of England’s defensive shift after the Three Lions took a 1-0 lead. He then assisted Enzo Fernández’s equalizer in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez’s winning goal in added time. Instead, Messi has helped balance the team’s attack and give it more versatility.
Argentina has an incredible amount of talent and Messi has helped bring it all to its full potential. Lionel Scaloni also has this team playing with a raw intensity and desire to win that has not been matched. Argentina has been vulnerable at times in this tournament, such as when it trailed Egypt by two goals late or trailed England 1-0 in the 85th minute. But Argentina has excelled when its back has been against the wall.
If there is any team that can match Argentina’s intensity, it is Spain. La Roja played a near-perfect match in their 2-0 victory over France in the semi-final. What makes Spain so great is that all the players are deeply committed to the system implemented by coach Luis de la Fuente.
No team in this tournament can pass and move as well as Spain. Once Spain has possession, it is extremely difficult to regain possession. Then, on the defensive side, Spain knows how to close spaces and force turnovers.
In Spain everyone plays a role in their system, but Rodri is the glue that makes the team move. Against France, Manchester City’s central midfielder made a world-class shift in terms of connecting the ball from midfield into attack. Then, defensively, he forced France to turn the ball over. He also won a significant percentage of his duels to keep Spain in possession.
The Spanish attack is led by teenager Lamine Yamal and veteran striker Mikel Oyarzabal, who spent his entire career at Real Sociedad, unlike top clubs where elite center forwards play. Oyarzabal has been a perfect center forward for the Spanish system and usually finds ways to score big goals. Yamal, on the other hand, is a teenage Barcelona superstar who is on the verge of becoming the next global superstar. Of course, if the winger can do it now in the World Cup, he will be on a path reserved only for the best players.
The architect of Spain’s rise is De la Fuente. The team has dedicated itself completely to its vision. During his tenure, Spain won all seven of its matches at Euro 2024 and has now won six of seven in this World Cup. The only stain he has in a major tournament leading Spain is the 0-0 draw with Cape Verde.
But De la Fuente has created a team that is extremely difficult to bring down. In seven games, La Roja only conceded one goal. In the semi-final, world-class attackers Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé never looked dangerous. De la Fuente’s team is as prepared as any team in this decade to contain Messi.
This party has no clear favorites. Just two great teams led by global stars. It will be a very close match and the winner will be a worthy champion.
Players to watch
Forward · Argentina
Everyone needs to see Lionel Messi in this match because it could be the last chance to see the greatest player of all time play in an important match for his country. He looks to win his fourth consecutive major title for La Albiceleste and add 21 career World Cup goals to his record. At 39 years old, Messi continues to improve. With his two assists against England, he has eight goals and two assists in this tournament. He became the first player to be involved in more than 10 goals in consecutive World Cups after scoring seven and assisting three goals in 2022.
Midfielder · Argentina
Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez has a critical mission on Sunday. As a central midfielder, he will be tasked with going against the heart of the Spanish system in the middle of the field, where Rodi and Fabián Ruiz typically dictate the game on their terms. Fernández had a great performance against England. Even beyond his goal, Fernández was very effective in his passing, where he made few errors, changed the point of attack and regularly carried the ball into dangerous positions. He needs to be just as effective against Spain for Argentina to have a good chance.
The 19-year-old center back could be the best center back in the world after what he has shown in this tournament. Cubarsí, already a regular starter for Barcelona, has been even more impressive for Spain, being one of the main reasons why his team has conceded just one goal in their seven World Cup matches. Managing Argentina will require another huge effort, but if he is successful, he will be widely considered a global superstar and the world’s most valuable player at his position.
The Manchester City midfielder is the engine of the Spanish system. He is a tireless worker and very effective on both sides of the ball. It will present Argentina with the toughest test it has faced in this World Cup. If they can control the midfield and force Argentina to chase the game like France did, Spain has an excellent chance of winning. For La Roja, everything starts with him.
