Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19. Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute. Here are the details fans have been asking about.
Man of the match
Ferran Torres was the match winner, but the tournament’s top individual award went to his teammate Rodri. The midfielder won the Golden Ball as the best player of the 2026 World Cup.
Spain are #FIFAWorldCup Champions. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mWLw5iis2C
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 19, 2026
MVP and other awards
Rodri took the Golden Ball. France’s Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot as top scorer, becoming the first player to win it twice. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon won the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper. Spain defender Pau Cubarsi was named Best Young Player.
Prize money
Spain earned $51 million for winning the tournament. Argentina, as runners-up, took $34 million. FIFA paid out a record combined $871 million to the 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup, the largest prize pool in the tournament’s history.
Attendance
The final was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, listed for the tournament as New York/New Jersey Stadium. It was the last of 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the first World Cup staged by three countries and the first with 48 teams.
Referee
Slovenia’s Slavko Vincic refereed the final, becoming the first Slovenian to take charge of a men’s World Cup final. He had earlier handled Brazil against Morocco, Jordan against Algeria, and Mexico against Ecuador at the tournament. His only previous match involving Argentina was their 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup.
Lineups
Spain started with Unai Simon in goal, a back line of Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella, with Rodri, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Olmo in midfield, and Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal and Alex Baena in attack. Ferran Torres, Nico Williams, Pedri, Martin Zubimendi and Marc Pubill were among the players brought on.
Argentina started with Emiliano Martinez in goal, a defence of Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez and Nicolas Tagliafico, a midfield of Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister and Nico Gonzalez, and Lionel Messi with Julian Alvarez up front. Lisandro Martinez went off after an injury and was replaced by Nicolas Otamendi.
Statistics
Spain dominated the ball with 68 percent possession to Argentina’s 32 percent. They had 20 shots to Argentina’s 3, and 11 shots on target while Argentina managed none. Emiliano Martinez made 10 saves and set a record for saves in a World Cup final. Spain won 9 corners to Argentina’s 4.
Argentina picked up five yellow cards. Enzo Fernandez was sent off in stoppage time of normal time for a second bookable offence, leaving Argentina to play extra time with 10 men. Spain scored the winner six minutes into extra time.
Trophy celebration
Torres scored 39 seconds into the second half of extra time to settle the match. The win gave Spain their second World Cup, 16 years after their first in 2010. It also ended Argentina’s bid to become the first country to win back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Highlights video
For match highlights, check FIFA’s official channels and licensed broadcasters. We are not able to host the footage here.
