All set as Argentina, Spain battle for football's ultimate prize

The 2026 FIFA World Cup comes down to a meeting worthy of football's biggest stage.

Defending champions Argentina will face European champions Spain in Sunday's World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, with Lionel Messi bidding to lead La Albiceleste to consecutive titles while Spain's young stars attempt to usher in a new era by reclaiming the sport's biggest prize.

Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. ET) in the championship match of the first 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

It is only the second all-Spanish-speaking World Cup final in history, following Uruguay's victory over Argentina in the inaugural 1930 decider and the first to feature the reigning champions of Europe and South America.

For Argentina, the stakes extend beyond defending the trophy they won in Qatar four years ago. Lionel Scaloni's side are chasing a fourth World Cup title and a place alongside Brazil's 1958 and 1962 teams as the only nations to successfully defend the championship.