Lionel Messi's battle-hardened Argentina go head-to-head with a silky, star-studded Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Photo: AFP
Lionel Messi's battle-hardened Argentina take on silky Spain in the Fifa World Cup 2026 final on Sunday (kick-off 9pm) as the first 48-team tournament in history reaches a climax in New Jersey.
The South Americans are striving to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups, while Spain are eyeing a second title after their maiden victory in 2010.
After concerns in recent days that the final could be affected by smoke from wildfires in Canada that has blanketed eastern US states, there were blue skies over New Jersey on Sunday morning. The showpiece at the MetLife Stadium, the culmination of the 104-match tournament, is likely to be the final World Cup appearance for Messi, widely considered the greatest player of all time.
US president Donald Trump will be among the 80 000-strong crowd in East Rutherford — the first game he has attended in the tournament. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will also attend, meaning the leaders of all three host nations will be present. A galaxy of A-list stars will perform, from Tom Cruise in the pre-game closing ceremony to Madonna and Shakira in the half-time show — the first in World Cup history.
