The World Cup final is finally here. Lionel Messi — the most prolific goal scorer in the tournament’s history — and defending champion Argentina will take on Spain’s defensive juggernaut on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Follow along for key moments, analysis and highlights.
Ticket prices drop in final hours
Tickets to the World Cup final, which were selling for tens of thousands of dollars, dropped to as low as $2,334.50 in the hours before the game on FIFA’s resale site. FIFA still had list price tickets on sale the morning of the game for $10,990.
Argentina is the defending champion and has Lionel Messi, but Spain is the favorite to lift the World Cup trophy at -165. That means bettors would have to risk $165 to win $100. Anyone who likes Argentina to win in regulation time can get it at 5-2 odds.
President Trump is expected to present the World Cup trophy to the winner
The U.S. president this week called the 2026 World Cup “the most successful sports even, maybe in the history of the world,” heading into its final weekend.
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum, whose country was co-host of the tournament with the U.S. and Canada, said she will also attend the final at Trump’s invitation.
Sheinbaum did not attend the World Cup’s opening match in Mexico City, when her national team beat South Africa 2-0. Instead, she gave her ticket to a young Indigenous woman.
Spain’s King Felipe VI is also expected to attend. Argentine President Javier Milei said he won’t attend because of superstition, and will watch the match from home.
Loud cheers for Spain — and louder for Argentina
Players are on the field for pregame warmups, and it’s clear who has the crowd advantage. Spain got loud applause when La Roja got introduced. Then it was thunderous applause when Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates ran out of the tunnel. Most of the lower bowl is full with more than a half-hour till kickoff.
Trump wants the World Cup back in the US soon
Donald Trump has a message for FIFA President Gianni Infantino: Bring the World Cup back to the U.S.
“I had a great idea for Gianni: You have to do two countries. Announce us again next time, and then announce another country after that. It’ll take out some of the anger and the shock,” Trump said on Fox Sports. “I think it’s a great idea. Based on the numbers, we will be requesting it again immediately. … We have to do this again, and we have to do it while I’m around. You hear that, Gianni?”
Trump flies over the stadium
The presidential helicopter, Marine One, flew over the stadium hosting the World Cup final, heralding the arrival of President Donald Trump.
The flyover of MetLife Stadium occurred roughly an hour before kickoff. Trump was given 10 tickets to the match by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
No changes to Spain lineup
Spain made no changes to its starting lineup for the final, sticking with the squad that beat France in the semifinals. That includes 19-year-old Lamine Yamal.
Unai Simón is in goal behind defenders Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí and Marc Cucurella. In midfield are Fabián Ruiz, Álex Baena and Rodri. At forward are Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal and Dani Olmo.
As the ball bounces: The final match could be a kick in the grass
The field for the final at the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey is grass with synthetic fibers stitched in to reduce the risk of divots and tears. It has drawn mixed reviews from players through the first seven tournament games played there.
Stadium staff has had nearly two weeks to get it in the best condition possible for Sunday’s final. Neither Spain nor Argentina have played on it yet.
Teams in previous matches have said the field plays fast, but also called it hard and rigid and could be good for teams, like Spain, who like to possess the ball.
Some liked it better when it got wet. The area around the stadium was notably pelted by rain storms on Saturday.
Argentina’s lineup features three changes for final
Argentina’s lineup for the final features Emiliano Martínez in goal behind defenders Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez and Nicolás Tagliafico; midfielders Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister and Nico González; and forwards Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez.
The changes from the semifinal win over England are Montiel for Nahuel Molina on the back line and De Paul for Giuliano Simeone and Gonzales for Leandro Paredes in midfield.
Trump says it’s ‘hard to bet against Messi’
In an interview with Fox, President Donald Trump was asked to predict a winner between Spain and Argentina. He hedged on that, but seemed enamored with Argentina star Lionel Messi.
“I would say it’s hard to bet against Messi,” Trump said, noting Messi’s assist on Argentina’s winning goal in the semifinal against England.
“The pass was exactly perfect,” Trump said. “I won’t pick sides … It’s just hard to bet against Messi.”
Spain embraces its ‘And why not?’ motto
Entering the World Cup final against Argentina, Spain’s soccer federation has released motivational videos on social media promoting the motto “¿Y por qué no?” — “And why not?”
The phrase refers to the answer given by defender Aymeric Laporte after a reporter asked him during the 2022 World Cup whether Spain could win the tournament.
The federation released a video with players who helped Spain win the World Cup in 2010 all saying the phrase repeatedly. Another video mentions the motto while showing people wearing Spain’s jersey around New York to the beat of the song “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.
New Jersey governor has no plans to meet with Trump
Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she does not expect to meet with President Donald Trump during the World Cup final. But she stressed that officials have a “really great” plan to get the Republican president in and out of MetLife Stadium with as little disruption to fans as possible.
“It’s like the wedding is here after you’ve had family in town for a week,” she said about the anticipation for the game. “We’re excited, but also looking forward to some peace when they leave.”
Sherrill said she’s rooting for Argentina and even she tried her hand at Spanish, saying it’s better than it was a few months ago but that it needed more work.
“Or something like that,” the governor said in English after tripping through her Spanish.
Former Spain player Capdevila allowed into US to watch the final
Former Spain defender Joan Capdevila has made it to the United States to watch the World Cup final after being denied authorization to travel a decade after playing in an exhibition game in Iran.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in an email to The Associated Press that it received a request to allow Capdevila into the country. It said it reviewed the request and Capdevila arrived in the U.S. on Sunday.
Capdevila had addressed President Donald Trump in a social media post, saying his application for visa-free entry was denied. He also sent a message to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and tagged the Spanish government’s ministry of sport in his post.
In 2010, Capdevila helped Spain win its only World Cup title, starting in the final against the Netherlands. He was also part of the team that won the 2008 European Championship.
Hundreds gather at Buenos Aires fan fest
As rain fell in Buenos Aires at midday, hundreds of Argentines gathered ahead of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.
At the FIFA Fan Festival in Plaza Francisco Seeber, songs by Argentine pop groups Bandana and Miranda! played over loudspeakers. Fans waved Argentine flags, painted their faces in the nation’s blue and white colors, and lined up early to secure a spot in front of the giant screen that will broadcast the match.
“People are happy. It’s raining, but people are here together; with friends, with strangers, with foreigners,” said Franco Pavalo, 21.
Shin Truong, 20, said the final carries greater significance because it’s expected to be the last World Cup appearance for 39-year-old Lionel Messi.
“He’s mythical,” Truong said. “We couldn’t ask for anything more from him.”
Fans in Spain gather around big screens and inside Madrid arena
Big screens have been set up across Spanish cities for the World Cup final, with 20,000 people expected at the one installed at Plaza Colon in Madrid. About 15,000 fans were expected at the Madrid Rio location.
Similar viewing areas were set up in Barcelona and other cities. Fans in Madrid will also be able to watch the match at the Movistar Arena, where some 15,000 people were expected. Tickets were sold out in advance.
Excitement builds in Buenos Aires
Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, was at a near standstill Sunday morning.
Streets were adorned with blue-and-white flags. Cars were honking, announcing the arrival of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain. Businesses were closed, as were museums, theaters and cinemas. Bars opened early.
It’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere, but fans gathered in the chilly wind and rain in parks and plazas around the city. Street vendors blew plastic horns and hawked jerseys and umbrellas with the name of superstar Lionel Messi.
Americans are still tuning into the World Cup despite the US team’s elimination
Even after the Americans were eliminated in the round of 16 against Belgium, viewership has remained strong in the U.S.
The match between England and Mexico was the most-watched World Cup game not involving the U.S. broadcast in English in the country’s history, according to Fox. The network said an average of more than 21.7 million tuned in to watch England’s 3-2 victory in Mexico City on July 5.
The 2022 World Cup final — which was in Qatar — was viewed by a then-record 16.7 million.
Storms reduce choking hazards for players and fans
Meteorologists say the thunderstorms that passed through the New Jersey area should clear out the smoke from Canadian wildfires that left a haze over the Northeast U.S. for several days.
While experts say there could be some lingering smoke to make things a bit hazy Sunday, it will likely be faint and not cause the poor air quality warnings issued in recent days.
Temperatures are forecast to be around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), with light breezes and low humidity for the start of the final.
The World Cup final will be played on turf with mixed reviews. Rain might help
Players and coaches have fielded a lot of questions about the pitch in East Rutherford, New Jersey, before and after World Cup games there. Opinions have varied.
Brazil’s Vinicius Junior was not a fan. France coach Didier Deschamps called it special — and not in a good way. Norway’s Ståle Solbakken was asked several times about the surface before coaching his first game on it and came away more pleased about it than he expected.
While entirely different than the turf surface at the stadium that has been maligned by NFL players, the grass field with synthetic fibers stitched in to reduce the risk of divots and tears has drawn mixed reviews through the first seven games of the tournament there. After a nearly two-week break for staff to get it in the best condition possible, the most important game takes place there Sunday when Argentina and Spain meet in the final.
Neither team has played at the Meadowlands stadium yet, adding another element of uncertainty to the matchup.
Lionel Messi once held baby Lamine Yamal in his arms. Now they will battle for the World Cup title
Almost two decades ago, photographer Joan Monfort didn’t think much of his photo shoot of a teenage Lionel Messi bathing a cute baby boy in a plastic bathtub. Not until the remarkable twist of fate became clear years later, when that infant blossomed into Lamine Yamal.
Now those images of the long-haired Messi, his hands covered in soap suds as if anointing Yamal as soccer’s Next Big Thing, have become the most talked about — and gawked about — in the runup to Sunday’s World Cup final, when Messi’s Argentina will play Yamal’s Spain for the biggest trophy in the sport.
“I have never been a believer or thought that anything was destined to occur, but I am beginning to have my doubts. This is beyond all reasonable explanations,” Monfort told The Associated Press from his home in Barcelona on Friday.
Monfort, who works as a freelance photojournalist for the AP, took the photos in 2007 as part of a charity calendar produced by local newspaper Sport and UNICEF.
Biggest World Cup also means biggest pot of prize money
The tournament grew from 32 teams to 48 for the 2026 World Cup and the prize money hit record amounts as well.
FIFA says the winner of the Argentina-Spain final will receive $51 million. That’s up from the $42 million paid to Argentina for winning the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The runner-up will get $34 million.
The total prize pool for the tournament staged in the United States, Mexico and Canada is $871 million, up from $440 million in 2022.
All 48 teams were guaranteed at least $12.5 million.
Messi and Argentina will face Yamal and Spain for the title
The best offense. The best defense.
The World Cup final will be a clash of styles. Lionel Messi — the most prolific goal scorer in the tournament’s history — and defending champion Argentina will take on Spain’s defensive juggernaut on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Argentina is seeking its fourth title and is looking to become the first back-to-back World Cup champion since Brazil pulled off the feat in 1958 and 1962. Spain is looking for its second title, after winning in 2010.
Something will have to give on Sunday, when the biggest World Cup ever — a 48-team, 104-match extravaganza spread out over the U.S., Canada and Mexico — comes to an end.
