2026 World Cup Final: Date, Time, Venue and How to Watch

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is Sunday, July 19, 2026, kicking off at 3pm ET (12pm PT / 9pm CEST / 8pm BST). It closes a tournament that ran from June 11, the first with 48 teams and 104 matches, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Sources: FIFA, Fox Sports.

At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area (branded New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament). With a capacity of about 82,500 it is the largest venue used at the 2026 World Cup. Sources: FIFA, Reuters.

Kick-off is 3pm Eastern Time on July 19, 2026. That is 12pm on the US West Coast, 8pm in the UK and Ireland, 9pm across most of western Europe (France, Spain, Germany), and the early hours of July 20 in East Asia and Australia. The afternoon slot was chosen partly for European prime time. Sources: Fox Sports, FIFA.

Argentina vs Spain. Argentina reached the final by beating England 2-1 on July 15 (Gordon 55'; Enzo Fernández 85' and Lautaro Martínez 90'+2', both set up by Messi). Spain beat France 2-0 on July 14 (Oyarzabal pen. 22', Porro 58'). The final is July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, and pits Lionel Messi (38) against Lamine Yamal (17), with Argentina chasing back-to-back titles after 2022. Source: FIFA.

Previews frame it as close to a coin-flip. Argentina carry the edge in experience and Lionel Messi's influence, and they are chasing back-to-back titles after 2022; Spain arrived unbeaten in seven matches, driven by the tournament's breakout teenager, Lamine Yamal, and a more controlled possession game. Expect Argentina to lean on their attacking front and Spain to dominate the ball. Sources: Fox Sports, ESPN.

In the USA the final is on Fox (English) and Telemundo (Spanish). In the UK it is free-to-air on BBC or ITV, in France on TF1 or M6, in Germany on ARD or ZDF, and in Spain on RTVE. Many markets also carry it via streaming apps such as Fox One, BBC iPlayer and FIFA's own platforms. Source: FIFA rights-holders.

The third-place play-off is Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, kicking off at 5pm ET. It is contested by the two beaten semi-finalists, England and France, the day before the final. Sources: FIFA, ESPN.

The 2026 final features the first-ever World Cup halftime show, curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, with Madonna, Shakira and BTS among the headline performers. It is modelled on the Super Bowl halftime tradition and is a first for FIFA. Sources: FIFA, Reuters.

After the final the winners lift the FIFA World Cup trophy, and individual awards are presented: the Golden Ball (best player of the tournament), the Golden Boot (top scorer, led at the semi-final stage by Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi on 8 goals), and the Golden Glove (best goalkeeper). The Young Player award and FIFA Fair Play award are also given. Source: FIFA.

Between them the four semi-finalists hold nine titles: Argentina three (1978, 1986, 2022), France two (1998, 2018), England one (1966) and Spain one (2010). The finalists are Argentina and Spain: an Argentina win would be a fourth star and back-to-back titles, a Spain win their second. Sources: FIFA.