When the 2026 FIFA World Cup The final will begin Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Spain and Argentina will compete as the last two teams standing in the tournament among 48 nations all around the world.
It was the biggest FIFA World Cup in history, with the much-anticipated men’s final capping a whirlwind 39-day run that saw more than six million fans attend the games in three different participating countries, including, for the first time in decades, the United States. The last one happened as the sky started to clear in the Northeast, after that a few dark days of wildfire smoke he went south from Canada.
Argentina is the defending champion and determined be the first country achieving two consecutive World Cup titles since Brazil’s back-to-back victories during the 1958 and 1962 tournaments. But Spain is tipped to take the title this year. If they do, it would be the second time in the country World Cup title.
AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
Sunday’s game comes after 60 years when the teams representing two successful players met during the tournament 1966 World Cupwhen Argentina defeated Spain 2-1 in the group stage match.
This is the second time Spain has played in the finals and the first was the 2010 World Cup in South Africa which also won the country for the first time in the World Cup. Argentina have reached the final seven times, previously winning three times.
Although Spain head into Sunday’s game, after their excellent team performance so far in the tournament and their goalkeeper’s record, having conceded just one goal in the first seven games, Argentina were also playing for victory. Its star player, Lionel Messi, is widely regarded as the GOAT, or Greatest of All Time, and both he and his team-mates have pulled off a stunning last-minute comeback since the World Cup began.
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II 
Who was there
As players and crowds prepare for the final at 3 p.m. ET, there will be a pregame closing ceremony at 1:30, featuring musical guests Post Malone and Robbie Williams, and Jennifer Hudson singing the national anthem. In this event, actor Tom Cruise is also expected to appear, while Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS and others are expected to sing in 11 minutes. halftime show.
President Trump, the Spanish royal family, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum it will be in the headlines.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Sunday that he is confident in the security measures in place at the tournament, given the list of prominent guests.
“We’ve been preparing for this, honestly, for more than a year,” Hochul said, noting that federal, state and local law is closely intertwined with “1,000 exercises, putting on the table all the scenarios” that might arise.
“I feel very confident in our security, and we are very happy to welcome the eyes of the world,” said the governor. “The whole planet is going to be watching what’s happening here in the New York City area. So it’s exciting, a very exciting time for us.”
The final game will air on FOX and Telemundo.
