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Spain and Argentina to Meet in 2026 World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium
The final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. local time in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Spain and Argentina last met in a 2018 friendly that Spain won 6-1.
Jul 16, 5:07 AM·1m read2 sources
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will pit Spain against Argentina on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. m. local time, or 19:00 GMT. The venue, temporarily renamed New York-New Jersey Stadium for the tournament, seats up to 82,500 spectators and previously hosted the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final and both semifinals.
Spain and Argentina last faced each other in an international friendly on March 27, 2018 at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, where Spain won 6-1.
FIFA has confirmed that U.S.
President Donald Trump will attend the final and present the trophy to the winning team. The match will include the first Super Bowl-style halftime show in World Cup final history. Performers will include Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay.
The performance is expected to last about 11 minutes, and the halftime break may extend to 30 minutes. A closing ceremony will begin 90 minutes before kickoff and will feature Tom Cruise, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger.
Opta’s supercomputer gives Spain a 45.1 percent chance of winning in regulation time and Argentina a 29.4 percent chance, with a 25.4 percent probability of extra time or penalties. The 2030 World Cup will be hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with Madrid the leading candidate to host the final.
A centenary match will be played in Uruguay as part of the tournament’s 100th-anniversary events, with Argentina and Paraguay also participating.
