Spain are the 2026 FIFA World Cup champions after beating Argentina 1–0 in extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The final finished 0–0 after 90 minutes, with Spain scoring the lone goal in overtime to secure the win.
This is Spain’s 2nd World Cup title, their first since winning in South Africa in 2010. They were dominant throughout the tournament, going undefeated across all 7 matches and conceding just one goal total. The victory also gives Spain a historic double — they’re now the first nation to hold both the Men’s and Women’s World Cup titles in the same cycle, after the women’s team won in 2023. Spain joins Germany as only the second country ever to win both a Men’s and Women’s World Cup.
For Argentina, the loss ended their bid to become the first men’s team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. Lionel Messi, playing at age 39, became just the second player in history to feature in three World Cup finals. The final kicked off at 12:00 PM PDT / 3:00 PM ET in front of 80,663 fans at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. It was also the first World Cup where FIFA awarded championship rings to the winning squad.
Spain came in as favorites, led by Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Gavi, and Brazilian legend Ronaldo had picked them to win “easily.”
