World Cup final live score: Spain vs. Argentina updates, results, highlights from 2026 FIFA championship

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• Spain vs. Argentina score
• World Cup final updates and highlights
• What time does the World Cup final start?
• What channel is the World Cup final on?
• World Cup final live streams

After just over a month of World Cup soccer, the tournament is finally coming to a close. While it is sad to see another tournament come and go, fans will be treated to the stellar matchup of Lamine Yamal’s Spain against eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi and his Argentina.

Read more Why the 2026 World Cup final has a halftime show in controversial first for FIFA

Messi’s vast trophy cabinet has the chance to grow to storied heights. Two World Cup trophies, along with becoming the first back-to-back winner since Brazil in 1958 and 1962, would put the Argentine in rare company with 21 other players to do the World Cup double. His age has had no penalty in how the «Little Boy From Rosario» leads his South American side. At 39 years old, Messi sits atop the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot rankings with eight goals and four assists prior to Sunday’s final, and has already mathematically guaranteed the award win.

While Lamine Yamal has not had the dominant tournament many fans thought he would, he will be able to change that significantly with a good showing against the defending world champions. Spain’s squad, which features the 19-year-old, consistent goal-scoring from Mikel Oyarzabal, and the tournament’s best defense, allowing just one goal, has given La Roja its best shot of winning a World Cup since their lone win in 2010. It would also give Lamine Yamal the title of one of the youngest World Cup winners ever.

The Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights for Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Follow for complete results from the final match in East Rutherford.

STREAM: Watch the 2026 World Cup live with fubo

Spain vs. Argentina score

Location: East Rutherford
Referee: Slavko Vincic

Starting lineups:

Lineups will be released on the day of the match.

Spain (formation):

Argentina (4-5-2): Martinez (GK); Montiel, Romero, Lisandro, Tagliafico (D); De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Mac Allister, Gonzalez (M); Messi, Alvarez (F)

2026 WORLD CUP HQ: Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Updated World Cup bracket

World Cup final live updates, highlights from Spain vs. Argentina

(All times ET)

Prematch

1:10 p.m. — Both teams are officially en route to MetLife Stadium. Lamine Yamal received a raucous applause before heading onto his team bus from the hotel, while Lionel Messi and his squad look ready for business.

A lot of cheers for Lamine Yamal and Spain as they head to the FIFA World Cup Final pic.twitter.com/Ie5QoMHFJc

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026

Messi and Argentina are en route to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final pic.twitter.com/ADePG4XgMz

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026

12:56 p.m. — President Trump and Fox’s Jenny Taft conversed about this year’s World Cup and what it meant for the United States. Today, Trump will become the first sitting U.S. president to attend a World Cup final.

President Trump spoke with @JennyTaft ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/Wk463lj1wU

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026

12:42 p.m. — According to Fox’s broadcast, doors to MetLife Stadium have already opened up. Fans have begun the gradual process of trickling into the stadium as excitement grows for today’s match.

12:30 p.m. — Just a leap over the Hudson River, droves of Argentina fans have taken over Times Square. La Albiceleste are vying to become just the third team in World Cup history to win back-to-back tournaments (Italy: 1934, 1938; Brazil: 1958, 1962).

A sea of Messi shirts from Argentina fans in Times Square ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final 🇦🇷

Katie Shanahan has more from NYC pic.twitter.com/poKrBogeQ5

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026

12:05 p.m. — With three hours until kickoff, many members of the press have cited the frenzy that is outside of MetLife Stadium. The media line was crazy over two hours ago, and it hasn’t gotten any better closer to gametime.

Complete chaos here in the MetLife Stadium parking lot. There are no FIFA officials marshaling people through the lines, so people are just clogging the system up. It’s an absolute mess. FIFA has just left everyone to fend for themselves rather than policing the system.

— Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) July 19, 2026

FIFA/MetLife Stadium extremely ill-prepared for the amount of press here for the World Cup Final. Line to enter is hundreds deep. People sent to the wrong place initially. Very frustrating. pic.twitter.com/oLbKwZzANK

— Alex M. Silverman🏒⚽️ (@AlexMSilverman) July 19, 2026

11:40 a.m. — Fans from both Spain and Argentina have congregated in NYC to celebrate this World Cup final.

TODAY IS THE DAY. THE FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL IS HERE!

Rebecca Lowe | Thierry Henry | @Ibra_official | @AlexiLalas pic.twitter.com/R8BJhcp5n8

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026

11:10 a.m. —  This will be just Spain’s second match in an outdoor stadium, as it previously played a match in Guadalajara as well. Otherwise, all of Spain’s matches were in domed stadiums.

Read more Why the 2026 World Cup final has a halftime show in controversial first for FIFA

🚨 𝗗𝗜𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪: Spain has played 6/7 World Cup matches in indoor stadiums.

Their only match at an outdoor stadium was in Guadalajara, Mexico, just after a storm, meaning it wasn’t hot.

The MetLife Stadium is an outdoor venue, and New York has been a complete sauna… pic.twitter.com/O2pzXRvP5D

— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) July 17, 2026

10:40 a.m. — Within the final is the Golden Boot race, as Messi needs two goals to catch Kylian Mpabbe.

Can Messi catch Mbappé for the World Cup Golden Boot? 👀 pic.twitter.com/LlvxdMXJTj

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 19, 2026

10:00 a.m. — Five hours before kickoff, fans are already lined up outside of MetLife Stadium trying to get in.

🏟️ Los alrededores del MetLife ya van cogiendo afluencia de aficionados, periodistas y todo tipo de personalidades que no se quieren perder la gran final del Mundial

⌚️ Quedan 5 horaspic.twitter.com/0hY2XlxpdY

— BeSoccer (@besoccer_ES) July 19, 2026

9:35 a.m. — There was heavy rain and thunderstorms in the area on Saturday, which impacted how both teams trained. Spain cancelled its session while Argentina tried to get one in.

ARGENTINA SALE A ENTRENAR PESE A LA LLUVIA ⛈️🇦🇷

España cancela el entrenamiento mientras Argentina sí sale a entrenar ⚔️

📸 @javivalle17 #DAZNMundial #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/apnkoqFuTF

— DAZN Fútbol (@DAZNFutbol) July 18, 2026

9:05 a.m. — The night before the match, Messi wrote a letter to Argentinian fans expressing his gratitude.

Leo Messi’s letter to all Argentinians the night before the World Cup Final. 🩵🤍💌

“The most beautiful thing about all these years was 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲”.

“Sharing day-to-day life with this group, competing… pic.twitter.com/paHysHJfmc

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 19, 2026

MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:

• World Cup halftime show details
• Spain vs. Argentina head-to-head history
• How Lamine Yamal compares to Messi at 19
• Messi and the oldest World Cup winners
• Youngest players to start a World Cup

What time does the World Cup final start?

• Date: Sun., July 19
• Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET, noon PT

Sunday’s World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET (noon PT) from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Fox’s coverage of the match includes a special 4-hour pregame show starting at 11 a.m. ET. 

The World Cup closing ceremony, which takes place before the final kicks off, starts at 1:30 p.m. ET. It is headlined by a performance from Post Malone, along with celebrity appearances from Tom Cruise and more.

Jennifer Hudson will sing «The Star-Spangled Banner» before the playing of the national anthems for Spain and Argentina before kickoff.

What channel is the World Cup final on today?

• English: Fox
• Spanish: Telemundo

Sunday’s match between Spain and Argentina will air nationally on Fox (for English-speaking viewers) and Telemundo (for Spanish-speaking viewers) in the United States.

John Strong and Stu Holden will call the game for Fox along with Jenny Taft and Tom Rinaldo reporting from the sidelines.

The Spanish-language broadcast on Telemundo features the legendary Andres Cantor and Luis Omar Tapia.

MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:

• Expert predictions for Spain vs. Argentina
• Updated Golden Boot rankings
• Back-to-back World Cup winners
• Most World Cup wins by player
• Most World Cup wins by country

World Cup final live streams

• fubo | Peacock

The World Cup final can be live streamed through fubo, feature both the English-language Fox broadcast and the Spanish-language broadcast on Telemundo.

What time is the World Cup final halftime show?

• Start time: 4-4:30 p.m. ET (approximate time)

Expect the first-ever World Cup final halftime show to start between 4-4:30 p.m. ET featuring performances from BTS, Shakira, Madonna and Justin Bieber in a shared set.

Read more Who is Spain’s goalkeeper? Meet Unai Simon, the stone wall with most shutouts in a World Cup