The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will take place this Sunday evening in New York. Meanwhile, the third-place play-off between France and England will be held tonight.
The grand finale marks the 104th and final match of this unique football World Cup, hosted across three countries on the American continent. European champions Spain will face defending champions and South American titleholders Argentina this Sunday, July 19, at the New York stadium. It will be a summit clash between the two highest-ranked teams in the world: Argentina, the FIFA ranking leader with 1,970 points, who defeated England in the semi-finals, and their runner-up, Spain (1,965 points), who eliminated the 2022 World Cup runners-up, France, in the semi-finals.
Sixteen years later, ‘La Roja’ is seeking a second star after their 2010 triumph in South Africa, while ‘La Albiceleste’ aims to repeat their feat and secure consecutive titles following their 2022 victory in Qatar.
It will be a clash between the best European and Latin American teams, both champions of their respective continents, featuring two distinct styles of play. Argentina had a more arduous path to the final. In Group J, the Argentine selection cruised through, defeating Algeria (3-0), Austria (2-0), and Jordan (3-1) in the group stage.
In the knockout stages, ‘La Albiceleste’ had to play three matches, including two that went to extra time: against Cape Verde in the round of 32 (3-2), Egypt in the round of 16 (3-2), and Switzerland in the quarter-finals (3-2). Trailing 0-1 in the semi-final, Messi’s team turned the situation around to win 2-1.
Spain, for its part, had a relatively smooth journey. ‘La Roja’ started with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, then dominated Saudi Arabia (4-0) and Uruguay (1-0). In the knockout stages, Spain eliminated Austria (3-0), Portugal (2-0), and Belgium (2-1). The third-place match between France and England will take place tonight.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-18 05:56:39 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/finale-argentine-espagne-malheur-au.html