After more than a month of non-stop soccer action, the two teams playing in the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been decided. After emerging victorious from their semifinals matchups, Argentina and Spain are the final two remaining teams. The match is filled with star power and features some of the most talented players in the world, building up for an entertaining showdown in the Meadowlands.
The path to the final for Spain and Argentina looked different, as Spain’s FIFA World Cup journey has been filled with dominance, winning every game except their opening group stage match against Cape Verde, which ended in a draw. Throughout the entire tournament, Spain has never once been losing a match, shutting out their opponents in six of their seven matchups.
For Argentina, on the other hand, their path to the finals has been filled with late comebacks and miraculous goals. While Argentina dominated in the group stages, winning all three of their games, their round of 32 match against Cape Verde went to extra time, where Argentina would eventually win from an own goal. The round of 16, however, was where many expected Argentina’s journey to end, as they were down 2-0 against Egypt with less than 30 minutes remaining in the match. However, Argentina fired back in the late minutes of the game, scoring three goals in less than 15 minutes to win the game by a score of 3-2. Even in their semifinals match that sent them to face Spain, Argentina was down 1-0 with less than 10 minutes left before the match could have ended.
Despite the difference in their journeys, the two nations have both reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, which will be taking place in the Meadowlands. Argentina are the reigning FIFA World Cup champions, having won the tournament in 2022 against France. The team is looking to join Italy and Brazil as the only nations to have won back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles.
Spain has also had recent success in the tournament, winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup, however, the team has struggled to return to that point until this year. In the past three renditions of the tournament, Spain has been eliminated in the group stages and the round of 16, though the team is entering the final match with one of its most talented squads, hoping to bring a second title to the nation.
Spain has had recent success in international competition, winning the 2024 UEFA European Championship, which looks to crown the best team in Europe. Argentina has also had success, winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América, which featured participants from North and South America, looking to find the best team.
With talented players on both sides, from Spain’s Lamine Yamal to Argentina’s Lionel Messi, an exciting match is in store for the Meadowlands. Fans can expect lots of emotions from both sides, given the nature of the match, though, there might be even more considering it may be the final FIFA World Cup match of Lionel Messi’s career.
Messi has established himself as one of the greatest soccer players in the world and the face of Argentina over the years. However, at 39 years old, his playing days are limited, even if he has been one of the best players in the tournament. The moment has the potential to be full circle for Messi, who announced his international retirement in 2016, after losing to Chile in the Copa América final, which was held in the Meadowlands. Now, 10 years later, at the same stadium where he once decided to stop playing for Argentina, Messi can capture his second FIFA World Cup title.
The match will be taking place at 3 p.m., with over a billion viewers expected to have their eyes on the Meadowlands. As Spain and Argentina face off in the world’s biggest sporting event, both teams are sure to bring the excitement to the region.