2026 FIFA World Cup Final: Spain 1-0 Argentina, Result, Awards & Highlights
Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Substitute Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the 106th minute, a left footed strike buried just under the crossbar, to give Spain a second world title after 2010.
It was the first World Cup final ever played between the two nations and the championship game of the first 48-team World Cup. With the win, Spain became the first country to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles at the same time.
2026 FIFA World Cup Final Quick Facts
| Final score | Spain 1-0 Argentina (after extra time) |
| Winning goal | Ferran Torres, 106th minute |
| Date | Sunday, July 19, 2026, 3:00 PM ET kickoff |
| Venue | New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| Capacity | 82,500 |
| FIFA match number | Match 104 |
| Referee | Slavko Vincic (Slovenia) |
| Champion | Spain (second title, after 2010) |
| Runner-up | Argentina (defending champions) |
| Golden Boot | Kylian Mbappe, 10 goals |
| Halftime show | 11 minutes. Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber |
| US broadcast | FOX (English), Telemundo (Spanish) |
| Champion’s prize | $50 million |
| Third place match | England 6-4 France, July 18, Miami Stadium |
How Spain Won the 2026 World Cup Final
Spain controlled the match from the start, attempting 15 shots to Argentina’s none in regulation and winning nine corners to one. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez kept the defending champions alive with 10 saves, a World Cup final record, including a diving stop to turn away a curling Lamine Yamal free kick.
With the match goalless after 90 minutes, the breakthrough came in the 106th. Substitute Ferran Torres collected the ball in the box and buried a left footed shot just under the crossbar. Argentina’s late push unraveled when Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time.
For Lionel Messi, 39, the defeat closed what is widely expected to be his final World Cup. He finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists and lifted the trophy in 2022 as Argentina’s captain.
The tournament finished with 308 goals across 104 matches, the most in World Cup history.
How Spain and Argentina Reached the Final
Spain beat France 2-0 at Dallas Stadium on July 14. Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute and Pedro Porro added the second in the 58th. The European champions conceded just one goal in eight matches across the entire tournament.
Argentina beat England 2-1 at Atlanta Stadium on July 15. Anthony Gordon put England ahead before Messi created late goals for Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez in a stoppage time comeback.
England beat France 6-4 in a 10 goal thriller in Miami on July 18 to claim third place, their best World Cup finish since winning the trophy in 1966. Bukayo Saka scored a hat trick and Kylian Mbappe struck twice for France.
Semifinal Results
| Match | Teams | Score | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semifinal 1 (Match 101) | France vs Spain | 0-2 | Dallas Stadium | July 14 |
| Semifinal 2 (Match 102) | England vs Argentina | 1-2 | Atlanta Stadium | July 15 |
When Was the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final?
Sunday, July 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET. The match closed a 39-day tournament that opened on June 11 with Mexico vs South Africa at Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca). The Sunday afternoon slot placed the match in European prime time and in the early hours across Asia and Australia.
| Region | Kickoff Time |
|---|---|
| Eastern Time (New York) | 3:00 PM ET |
| Pacific Time (Los Angeles) | 12:00 PM PT |
| Mexico City | 1:00 PM |
| Argentina (Buenos Aires) | 4:00 PM |
| UK (London) | 8:00 PM |
| Spain, France, Germany | 9:00 PM |
| India | 12:30 AM (July 20) |
| Bangladesh | 1:00 AM (July 20) |
| Japan and South Korea | 4:00 AM (July 20) |
| Australia (Sydney) | 5:00 AM (July 20) |
Where Was the 2026 World Cup Final Held?
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey hosted the Final. FIFA called the venue New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament under its clean-venue policy. The stadium sits roughly 9 miles west of Midtown Manhattan and is the shared home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets.
Capacity for the Final was 82,500 after a two-phase renovation removed 1,740 corner seats so the pitch could be widened to FIFA’s international standard of 105 x 68 meters. The venue has now hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, the Copa America Centenario final, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final and a World Cup final. The Final was its eighth and last match of the tournament.
Who Refereed the 2026 World Cup Final?
Slavko Vincic of Slovenia refereed the Final, the first Slovenian to take charge of a World Cup final. His assistants were Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic, with Adham Makhadmeh of Jordan as fourth official and Bastian Dankert of Germany on VAR. Vincic showed a late red card to Enzo Fernandez for a second yellow.
2026 World Cup Final Closing Ceremony and Halftime Show
The closing ceremony began at 1:30 PM ET, 90 minutes before kickoff, featuring Tom Cruise, Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger and IShowSpeed. Jennifer Hudson performed the United States national anthem before kickoff.
The Final also staged the first halftime show in World Cup history, an 11 minute production curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and produced by Global Citizen with Live Nation and Done + Dusted.
| Artist | Role |
|---|---|
| Madonna | Co-headliner |
| Shakira | Co-headliner |
| BTS | Co-headliner |
| Justin Bieber | Co-headliner |
| Burna Boy | Performer |
| Gustavo Dudamel | Conductor, New York Philharmonic |
| PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay | Performer |
| The Muppets and Sesame Street characters | Appearance |
Shakira and Burna Boy performed “Dai Dai,” the official song of the 2026 World Cup. The show supported the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to education and football for children.
How Fans Watched the 2026 World Cup Final
| Country | Broadcaster | Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| United States (English) | FOX | FOX Sports app, FOX One, Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, DirecTV Stream |
| United States (Spanish) | Telemundo, Universo | Peacock |
| United Kingdom | BBC, ITV | BBC iPlayer, ITVX |
| Canada | CTV, TSN | Bell Media platforms |
| Mexico | TelevisaUnivision, TV Azteca | ViX |
| Argentina | TyC Sports, Telefe | TyC Sports Play |
| Spain | RTVE | RTVE Play |
| Australia | SBS, SBS VICELAND | SBS On Demand (free) |
| Brazil | Grupo Globo, SBT | CazeTV on YouTube (free) |
| Germany | ARD, ZDF | Magenta Sport (4K) |
| Italy | RAI | RaiPlay |
FOX carried the Final exclusively on its main broadcast network in English, free over the air, with more than 200 territories broadcasting the match worldwide.
Record Ticket Prices for the Final
Standard face value for the Final opened between roughly $2,030 and $6,730 by category before FIFA’s dynamic pricing pushed every tier far higher. In the final days, FIFA’s last-minute site listed only Front Category 1 seats at around $30,000, resale listings started near $8,000, and one Category 3 seat was listed at $2.3 million.
By average purchase price, it became the most expensive US sporting event on record, ahead of every Super Bowl. Hospitality packages in the Trophy Lounge tiers sold at $32,500 and $34,500.
2026 World Cup Prize Money
FIFA approved a total financial distribution of $871 million for the 2026 World Cup, the largest in tournament history, including $655 million in performance-based prize money.
As champions, Spain earn $50 million, with a total FIFA payout of around $52.5 million including qualification and preparation money. Argentina take $33 million as runners-up, England $29 million for third and France $27 million for fourth.
| Finish | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Champion (Spain) | $50 million |
| Runner-up (Argentina) | $33 million |
| Third place (England) | $29 million |
| Fourth place (France) | $27 million |
| 5th to 8th (quarterfinal exit) | $19 million |
| 9th to 16th (Round of 16 exit) | $15 million |
| 17th to 32nd (Round of 32 exit) | $11 million |
| 33rd to 48th (group stage exit) | $9 million |
Every qualified nation was guaranteed a minimum of $12.5 million. Prize money is paid to national football associations, not directly to players.
The Road to the 2026 World Cup Final
The tournament expanded to 48 teams in 12 groups of four. The top two from each group advanced, joined by the eight best third-placed teams, creating a 32-team knockout bracket and a brand-new Round of 32.
| Stage | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Opening ceremony and match | June 11 | Mexico vs South Africa, Mexico City Stadium |
| Group stage | June 11 to June 27 | 12 groups across 16 venues |
| Round of 32 | June 28 to July 3 | New stage, first in World Cup history |
| Round of 16 | July 4 to July 7 | All matches in the United States |
| Quarterfinals | July 9 to July 11 | France, Spain, Argentina and England advanced |
| Semifinal 1 | July 14 | Spain 2-0 France, Dallas Stadium |
| Semifinal 2 | July 15 | Argentina 2-1 England, Atlanta Stadium |
| Third place match | July 18 | England 6-4 France, Miami Stadium |
| Final | July 19 | Spain 1-0 Argentina (aet), New York New Jersey Stadium |
The United States hosted 78 of the 104 matches, with every match from the quarterfinals onward on American soil. Canada and Mexico hosted 13 each, and Estadio Azteca became the first stadium to host three separate World Cups (1970, 1986 and 2026).
2026 World Cup Golden Boot and Awards
Kylian Mbappe won the adidas Golden Boot with 10 goals, sealed by his double in the third place match. Lionel Messi finished on eight goals and four assists, with Jude Bellingham on seven and Harry Kane on six. See the full Golden Boot standings.
Messi is widely reported to have claimed a record third Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. For the Golden Ball, Golden Glove and Best Young Player winners, see our 2026 World Cup awards guide.
2026 FIFA World Cup Final FAQ
Who won the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final?
Spain. They beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring the winner in the 106th minute.
Who scored in the 2026 World Cup Final?
Ferran Torres scored the only goal, a left footed finish under the crossbar in the 106th minute of extra time. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made 10 saves, a World Cup final record.
Did the 2026 World Cup Final go to extra time?
Yes. The match was goalless after 90 minutes despite Spain attempting 15 shots to Argentina’s none in regulation. Torres won it in extra time, and Enzo Fernandez was sent off late for a second yellow card.
Who was the referee for the 2026 World Cup Final?
Slavko Vincic of Slovenia, the first Slovenian to take charge of a World Cup final. Bastian Dankert of Germany ran VAR.
How many World Cups have Spain won?
Two, in 2010 and 2026. The win over Argentina also made Spain the first nation to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles at the same time.
How many World Cups have Argentina won?
Three, in 1978, 1986 and 2022. They finished runners-up in 2026 after losing 1-0 to Spain in the final.
Who won the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup?
Kylian Mbappe with 10 goals, sealed by two in the third place match. Lionel Messi finished second on eight goals and four assists.
Was this Lionel Messi’s last World Cup match?
It is widely expected to be. At 39, Messi closed the tournament with eight goals, four assists and a runners-up medal, though he has not formally announced his international retirement.
Why is MetLife Stadium called New York New Jersey Stadium?
FIFA enforces a clean-venue policy that strips corporate naming rights from stadiums during the tournament. MetLife is a sponsor of the NFL venue but not of FIFA, so the name was replaced for all 2026 matches.
Had the United States hosted a World Cup final before?
Yes, once. The 1994 final was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where Brazil beat Italy on penalties. The 2026 Final was the first on US soil in 32 years.
Who finished third at the 2026 World Cup?
England. They beat France 6-4 in the third place playoff at Miami Stadium on July 18, earning $29 million, with France taking $27 million for fourth.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final delivered a champion worthy of the largest tournament ever played. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, Ferran Torres striking in the 106th minute to crown the European champions as world champions for the second time.
