Everything you need to know about the Argentina vs Spain 2026 World Cup final
Kick-off time, both teams' road to the final, head-to-head history and Messi's possible last dance: here's everything to know ahead of the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on July 19 at MetLife Stadium.
Argentina and Spain meet on July 19 at 19:00 GMT at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, for the 2026 World Cup final, in pursuit of the tournament's 13th title.
Both teams' road to the final
Spain cruised through their four matches with real authority: a 3-0 win over Austria, then 1-0 against Portugal, 2-1 over Belgium in the quarter-final, before crushing France 2-0 in the semi-final through goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro. Defending champions Argentina had a far more dramatic run: a 3-2 win over Cape Verde, then 3-2 against Egypt, 3-1 over Switzerland in the quarter-final, before turning a match they trailed 0-1 into a 2-1 win with two late goals in the semi-final against England.
Head-to-head history: a rare meeting between the two sides
The two nations have met just once before at a World Cup, back in 1966, when Argentina won 2-1 thanks to a brace from Luis Artime, with Pirri equalising for Spain. Across all their meetings (14 matches, friendlies and competitive games combined), the record is perfectly even at 6 wins apiece and 2 draws, though Spain have won 3 of their last 4 head-to-heads this century, including a resounding 6-1 friendly win in 2018.
Key storylines ahead of the final
This final carries a special weight: it could be Lionel Messi's (39) very last World Cup match, after extending his record of scoring in consecutive World Cup games to nine, courtesy of a decisive 83rd-minute equaliser against Egypt. He currently shares the top of the scoring charts with Kylian Mbappé, both on 8 goals. Argentina, for their part, are chasing a first repeat World Cup title in nearly 70 years. Spain, meanwhile, go into the match on a 37-game unbeaten run, matching the all-time record held by Italy, with a win or draw enough to set a new outright record. Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal (19) remains one of the tournament's biggest revelations, unbeaten in 12 games between the World Cup and Euros, and the architect of the decisive penalty won in the semi-final against France.
