(NEW YORK) — Argentina’s Lionel Messi could add another milestone to his storied career on Sunday by winning his second World Cup title. To achieve that feat, the defending champions will have to beat Spain, a team that has only allowed one goal this entire tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final arrives after 48 teams competed in over 100 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada over the past six weeks.
Here’s what to know ahead of the final weekend of the World Cup.
How did Spain and Argentina get to the final?
Spain advanced to the final after defeating France, a two-time World Cup winner, on Tuesday in a 2-0 upset. France had been tipped as a strong contender for the trophy after previously topping the FIFA men’s ranking.
The Spanish men’s team, known as La Roja, won its first and only World Cup in 2010. The team most recently won the UEFA European championship in 2024, defeating England 2-1.
Meanwhile, Argentina proved resilient yet again with a stunning comeback against England in the final minutes of its semifinal match on Wednesday. England had been holding onto a 1-0 lead when two late goals from Argentina flipped the score. England was unable to respond and the final score was 2-1.
Argentina has won the World Cup three times, most recently in 2022 with a victory over France in penalty kicks. The team also won the last two Copa America championships in 2021 and 2024.
The final match will kick off on Sunday, July, 19, at 3 p.m. from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
What about the third place game?
England and France are not out of the tournament yet. The two will face each other in the third place game on Saturday, July 18, at 5 p.m. ET from Miami Gardens, Florida.
What other awards are handed out besides the trophy?
The tournament recognizes outstanding individuals through several awards, including the Golden Ball for best player, Golden Boot for top scorer, Golden Glove for best goalkeeper and the FIFA Young Player Award.
Medals will be handed out to the players and coaching staff of the first, second and third place winners.
Where can I watch the final?
The last match will air live in the U.S. on FOX for the English-language broadcast, with streaming on FOX One, and Telemundo for the Spanish-language broadcast. The Telemundo broadcast will also stream on Peacock.
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