/https%3A%2F%2Fplays-central.com%2Fbetting%2Fapp%2Fthemes%2Fst-child%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Ftntsports.svg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia-eurosport.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fbetting%2F2026%2F07%2FSpain-vs-Argentina-TNT-Sports-UK.png)
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Sunday 19 July 2026 • 8pm BST
The World Cup 2026 final kicks off at 8pm on Sunday, when European champions Spain face holders Argentina in the blockbuster conclusion to a summer of action that brings together FIFA's top two at MetLife Stadium.
The decisive battle in this final will be between Spain's stalwart defence, which has kept four clean sheets across their last five matches, and an Argentina attack that has scored 14 goals in that same period, led by Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez.
Preview: Spain vs Argentina
Spain arrive in the final on the back of six consecutive wins, including a 2-0 semi-final triumph over France that was defined by La Roja's ability to stifle all four of Les Bleus' Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola.
Defensive resilience has been the foundation of Spain's tournament run, and only Belgium have found a way through their backline so far, a remarkable display of solidity that has made the European champions the favourites with World Cup betting sites heading into Sunday's final.
Luis de la Fuente has built a side governed by collective structure rather than individual brilliance, though the quality running through this squad is not easily dismissed: Lamine Yamal has netted seven goals from 32 international appearances while also operating as Spain's primary creative threat from the right channel throughout the World Cup.
Rodri anchors the midfield, and the captain's ability to disrupt opposition transitions while dictating the tempo of Spain's build-up play gives De la Fuente's system a platform that few opponents have found an answer to.
Dani Olmo operates between the lines from an attacking midfield role, and his movement around the penalty area has created the kind of angles that have unlocked tightly organised defences on several occasions in the knockout phase.
Argentina have won every single one of their matches during World Cup 2026, though two of their five knockout triumphs went to extra time, and two required comebacks, not to mention that Lionel Scaloni's side have not yet faced a defensive unit of Spain's calibre.
However, Messi has been the star of the summer despite turning 39 during the tournament, and he will be determined to bolster his legacy by adding to his impressive eight goals and four assists so far on the way to lifting back-to-back World Cup trophies.
The versatile Julian Alvarez provides an additional threat along with the running power that Messi lacks, contributing 15 goals from 58 international appearances in a role that asks him to be mobile, physical and clinical in equal measure, and he has delivered on all three counts across this campaign.
The main concern for Argentina heading into the final is the seven goals they have conceded across their last five outings, a figure that stands in sharp contrast to the five consecutive clean sheets they kept prior.
Scaloni's system has demonstrated impressive tactical adaptability, but Spain's press, built on compact defensive lines and quick ball recovery, will present a more sustained challenge to Argentina than England, who sat back and invited pressure during the 2-1 semi-final turnaround.
The script writers could not have penned it better themselves: European champions vs South American champions. Best defence vs best attack. First in the world vs second. 37 games unbeaten vs 14 wins in a row. Control vs chaos.
After 103 games, 300-odd goals and fairytales and scandals in equal measure, only two of the 48 teams remain standing, and either one would be worthy World Cup winners.
Spain were on the wrong end of one of those fairytales in their opening game against Cape Verde, and it is hard to ignore the parallels between their run and that of Argentina four years ago, when the South Americans lost to Saudi Arabia but then won the whole tournament.
La Roja certainly seem to be peaking at the right time, and the dominant win over France was the most complete performance we've seen from any team at this World Cup, considering occasion and opponent.
Argentina, meanwhile, have seemingly been teetering on the brink of elimination since the end of the group stage, only to be dragged through by remarkable resilience, staggering survival skills and the legendary Lionel Messi.
One thing is for sure: Spain will not do what England did against Argentina if they have a lead going into the final 30 minutes, and even Messi and co may struggle to recover if Luis de la Fuente's side, chasing the longest unbeaten streak in international football history as well as their second World Cup crown, reach the closing stages ahead.
Argentina's best chance, outside of some seemingly inevitable Messi magic, will be to get under Spain's skin, disrupt their spells of unbroken possession and knock them off their normal game, and there is no team more capable of doing that than Lionel Scaloni's defending champions.
I have written Argentina off twice at this tournament already, and that's enough for me to learn that doing so is foolish. Both sides have immense quality, but the indomitable spirit of Argentina is just overwhelming. It has all the makings of a final for the ages, but I expect Messi to be hoisting his second World Cup trophy aloft at the end of it all.
Team news: Spain vs Argentina
Spain
Tottenham Hotspur right-back Pedro Porro missed Thursday's training session with a minor muscular issue, but he is expected to be available for the final according to reports.
Star man Yamal also trained separately on Thursday, but the European champions are confident that the Barcelona winger will be ready to start.
Up top, Mikel Oyarzabal boasts 30 goals from 60 international caps, including five at this summer's World Cup, and the Real Sociedad talisman leads the line in a 4-2-3-1 shape that gives him plenty of support from the likes of Olmo and Yamal.
Pau Cubarsi has been one of the tournament's standout performers at centre-half alongside Aymeric Laporte, the 19-year-old Barcelona defender's composure on the ball giving Spain an additional source of build-up play from the backline.
De la Fuente faces a selection debate between Nico Williams and Alex Baena on the left side, with the Athletic Bilbao star recovering from the injury that he arrived at the World Cup carrying, though the Atletico Madrid man has been excellent for La Roja and is likely to retain his starting spot.
The Spain coach must also decide whether to stick with Fabian Ruiz in the middle of the park – as was the case against Belgium and France – or to restore Pedri to the starting lineup.
Argentina
Scaloni has a full complement of players available, which means the headline selection call falls on the forward positions where Alvarez continues to start ahead of Lautaro Martinez despite the Inter Milan striker scoring 40 international goals from 84 appearances.
The decision is tactical rather than form-based: Alvarez's pressing intensity and versatility suits the way Argentina look to transition quickly from defence to attack, and Scaloni has stuck with that approach from the round of 16 onwards.
Giuliano Simeone operated on the right side of midfield against England, his directness balanced by the patience of Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez in the centre, and Scaloni could continue with the Atletico wide man given that Argentina's showing in the semi-finals has driven competitive prices across a range of new bookmakers ahead of Sunday's showpiece.
Spain vs Argentina predicted XIs
Spain (4-2-3-1): Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena; Mikel Oyarzabal
Argentina (4-1-4-1): Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Leandro Paredes; Giuliano Simeone, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez; Lionel Messi
Head-to-head: Spain vs Argentina
These two sides have met 14 times over the years, with the record perfectly split at six wins apiece and two draws, a balance that underlines just how closely matched they have been historically.
The most recent meeting, in March 2018, produced a 6-1 result in Spain's favour that was wholly unrepresentative of the all-time record and came during the build-up to that year's World Cup, before Scaloni transformed Argentina into the dominant force they have been in the 2020s.
The two nations first met in a competitive setting at the 1966 World Cup, where Argentina won 2-1 in the group stage, but the bulk of their meetings have been friendlies.
What the head-to-head record confirms is that neither side has habitually dominated the other, and the outcome on this occasion will be shaped far more by the battle between Spain's defence and Argentina's frightening attack than their shared history.
Our Spain vs Argentina prediction and tips
Spain's defensive numbers in this tournament are harder to ignore the longer you look at them – six clean sheets in seven matches, a record that has defined an outstanding campaign.
There are some excellent World Cup betting offers worth exploring before kick-off, and with Spain available as favourites at most prices, the better value lies in the specific markets rather than the match result.
Ladbrokes have Spain listed as favourites across several markets ahead of the final – see our Ladbrokes review for a full breakdown of their current football offerings.
- With just one goal conceded at World Cup 2026, it would be fair to say that Spain have the better-organised defence.
- Argentina have not faced a defensive system with Spain's level of collective organisation so far, and the two extra-time finishes against Cape Verde and Switzerland hint at the difficulty they have had breaking sides down when space is restricted.
- Yamal's pace and directness from the right is likely to trouble Argentina's left channel, and Oyarzabal's movement into the box gives Spain two genuine scoring threats from a front line that has created chances consistently throughout the tournament.
- Argentina have overturned a deficit in multiple knockout matches at this World Cup, but Spain have not trailed at any point in the competition, a combination that removes the pressure-response dynamic Scaloni's side have repeatedly relied upon.
Anthony is an avid Liverpool fan that covers football and the World Cup on TNT Sports. A few seasons deep into his work writing for a number of sites such as Sports Mole and Football Ground Guide, he regularly previews upcoming clashes and pens features about the latest and greatest in the beautiful game. Anthony is looking forward to writing about how the Reds continue to spend the Coutinho money.