Messi and Argentina set to face Spain in World Cup final
Lionel Messi's defending champion Argentina will face Spain in Sunday's FIFA World Cup 2026 final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., after Argentina beat England and Spain blanked France in the semifinals. The world cup final pits soccer's biggest star against an unbeaten Spanish side chasing a second title.
Key Takeaways
- Argentina and Spain meet Sunday in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final (Match 104) at MetLife Stadium.
- Argentina reached the final with a 2-1 semifinal win over England; Spain advanced 2-0 over France.
- Spain enters unbeaten in 37 matches since early 2024 and has trailed for zero minutes this tournament.
- Messi has indicated this is his final run with Argentina; a win would make them the first back-to-back men's champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Who is playing in the World Cup final?
According to FIFA, the 104th and final match of the expanded 48-team tournament pairs Spain (ESP) against Argentina (ARG) on July 19, 2026.
Argentina knocked out England 2-1 in the semifinals. Spain shut out France 2-0 to set up the showdown. Coverage of the star-driven buildup also sits in our Celebrity Breaking News section.
Why does this World Cup final matter for Messi?
For Messi, Sunday is framed as a possible perfect ending to what he has indicated will be his last run with the national team. Argentina is chasing history as the first men's side to win consecutive World Cups since Pele's Brazil did it in 1958 and 1962.
Coach Lionel Scaloni called Messi "the best footballer that the world has seen" and "pure history." The final returns to MetLife Stadium — the same venue where Messi briefly retired from international soccer after the 2016 Copa America final loss.
Messi has not faced Spain since a 2010 friendly. Roughly 80,000 fans are expected in the stadium, with about 2 billion projected to watch worldwide, TribLIVE reported.
Can Spain's unbeaten run stop Argentina?
Spain has not lost in 37 consecutive matches dating to early 2024. Coach Luis de la Fuente's side is 28-0-9 in that stretch and has conceded only one goal across seven World Cup games without spending a second trailing.
"On Sunday, we will watch a great show," de la Fuente said of two "superteams." Spain captain Rodri stressed Argentina is "far more than Messi" and that both sides excel collectively.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said both teams have strengths and hoped for "a final that goes down in history." U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend and present the trophy.