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Spain and Argentina entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup as favorites to win the tournament; now the two teams will meet in the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.
Spain secured their place in the final after a 2-0 win over France at the Dallas Stadium on Tuesday. Argentina booked their place with a 2-1 win over England at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday.
For the first time in their careers, Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi will meet on the international stage in a moment in football history.
After winning a charity raffle organized by Diario Sport and UNICEF, Lamine Yamal’s family was given a place in a promotional photo shoot with a young Lionel Messi. The photo went viral after Yamal’s father shared it after 2024 Euros. Almost 20 years after that photo shoot, the baby from the picture and the legend himself are destined to meet on the international stage.
Here’s everything to know about Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
Spain’s road to the final
After a scoreless draw against Cape Verde to open the group stage, Spain have won six in a row and neutralized each of their opponents in the knockout rounds.
Spain dispatched Austria 3-0 in the Round of 16 followed by a 1-0 win over Portugal in the Round of 16 to send Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.
Spain finally cashed in, but Mikel Marino scored his second winning goal in as many games in a 2-1 win over Belgium in the quarter-finals. The quarter-final win over Belgium was also the only goal Spain conceded during the tournament.
Against France in the semi-finals on Tuesday, Spain were clearly the dominant team and cruised to a 2-0 win over Les Bleus. For La Roja, it’s the World Cup final.
Argentina maintained a perfect record ahead of the final, but it has been far from easy for the defending world champions.
Argentina began the tournament in Group J with rounds over Algeria and Austria, ending with a 3-1 win over Jordan. Argentina then narrowly progressed through the knockout stages with a 3–2 extra time win against Cape Verde in the Round of 16, a 3–2 win over Egypt in the Round of 16, also in extra time, and a 3–1 win against Switzerland in extra time in the quarterfinals.
Argentina clinched its place in the final by defeating England, 2-1, in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Key players
Lamine Yamal might not appear to be one of the key players to watch in his first World Cup campaign. But don’t count out the No. 1 player from FOX Sports’ Top 100 World Cup Players.
After scoring a goal in Spain’s 4–0 win over Saudi Arabia in the group stage, Yamal did not register a goal in subsequent matches, a contrast to his form at Euro 2024 and the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
However, Yamal has shown signs of improvement since returning from a hamstring injury before the tournament and remains a big part of Spain’s attack. “Every time he gets the ball, there’s real fear in the French team,” Landon Donovan said after Spain’s 2-0 win over France in the semifinals.
If Yamal can continue to strike fear into defenders in the final, Spain will have a strong opportunity to lift the trophy on Sunday.
Lionel Messi
Forward · Argentina
Lionel Messi continues to break records in his sixth World Cup appearance. Messi leads the tournament with eight goals, taking his career total to 21, making him the world’s leading goalscorer in World Cup history. Messi also picked up a pair of assists against England, adding to his leading tally of 12.
Argentina have proved they can bend but not break, scoring goals late on to secure progression through the knockout stages, and with Messi leading the charge, you can never count the defending champions out.
How to watch Spain vs. Argentina
When: Sunday 19 July at 15 A.M
Where: New York New Jersey Stadium
TV: FOX
Current: Watch three days for free on FOX One
