The World Cup Final is the most prestigious match in football and arguably the greatest sporting event on the planet.
Billions have tuned in over the years to see who will lift the Jules Rimet trophy and the more modern World Cup trophy. With four footballing superpowers battling it out in the semi-finals, it’ll be no different this time around.
Thomas Tuchel’s England are still going strong, preparing to face holders Argentina on Wednesday in a blockbuster clash in Atlanta. And on the other side of the draw, it’s European champions Spain against 2018 winners and 2022 runners-up France.
Whoever makes it, the 2026 World Cup Final will be an unmissable occasion, so read on for everything you need to know.
World Cup Final date, kick-off time and venue
The 2026 World Cup Final will take place on Sunday, 19th July, with the match scheduled to kick off at 8pm UK time (3pm local time).
MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey will host the match, with a capacity crowd once again expected to fill the 82,566-seater arena.
The venue was selected to hold the final back in 2024 and is no stranger to big events, hosting the New York Giants and New York Jets in the NFL.
MetLife Stadium has also held numerous football matches down the years. This includes a Copa America semi-final between Argentina and Canada in 2024, and Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 Club World Cup final.
How to watch the World Cup Final
The 2026 World Cup final will be broadcast on both BBC One and ITV1, with coverage on both channels beginning at 7pm (UK time). Fans will also be able to stream the match for free on BBC iPlayer and ITVX.
The Squawka and Squawka Live X channels will provide your ideal second screen, keeping you up to date with the latest stats and stories as the match unfolds.
Road to the Final: how the teams got there
We’re down to just four teams as France, Spain, England and Argentina prepare to contest the 2026 World Cup semi-finals. Here is how each nation got there:
France
France have been the most impressive nation at this tournament so far, winning all six of their games and scoring 16 goals along the way. Les Bleus cruised through the group stage with dominant wins over Senegal (3-1), Iraq (3-0) and Norway (4-1), before thumping Sweden 3-0 in the last 32. Next up was a bruising battle with Paraguay, won 1-0 courtesy of a Kylian Mbappe penalty, before France beat many people’s dark horse pick, Morocco, 2-0 in the quarter-finals.
Spain
Spain made the worst possible start to the 2026 World Cup as they were held to a 0-0 draw in Atlanta by tournament debutants Cape Verde. However, since then, they’ve been almost flawless. La Roja grasped top spot in Group H with 4-0 and 1-0 wins over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, respectively, before easing past Austria 3-0 in the first knockout round. Tough battles against fellow European giants Portugal and Belgium have followed, but Luis de la Fuente passed those tests, winning 1-0 and 2-1, respectively — the latter the first goal they’ve conceded in the entire tournament.
England
England have rarely shown their very best this summer, and yet, they’re still getting the job done. A 4-2 win over Croatia to open the tournament was their most exciting performance so far, but the Three Lions could only follow that up with a goalless draw against Ghana. Thomas Tuchel’s side ensured top spot in Group L by beating Panama 2-0, but needed a late Harry Kane brace to secure a 2-1 comeback win over DR Congo in the last 32. A 3-2 win at the Azteca against Mexico is quite possibly England’s greatest tournament performance since 1966, setting up a quarter-final in which they needed a Jude Bellingham brace to again come from behind, beating Norway 2-1 in extra-time.
Argentina
The defending champions navigated the group stage with relative ease, beating Algeria, Austria and Jordan with eight goals scored and just one conceded. However, they’ve really had to go to the well to get through the knockout rounds so far. Argentina twice gave up the lead against minnows Cape Verde and had to go to extra time to land a 3-2 win in the last 32. Egypt then gave them a scare, going 2-0 up in the 67th minute before a late collapse saw Argentina win 3-2 once more. La Albiceleste again needed extra time against Switzerland in the quarter-finals, but Breel Embolo’s red card proved too much for the Rossocrociati to land a shock, with Argentina eventually winning 3-1.
World Cup Final: latest odds and who’s favourite
The latest odds suggest that the 2026 World Cup winner will come from the first semi-final, with France and Spain the respective first and second favourites.
On the other side of the draw, England are the tournament’s third favourites, with their bid so far largely fuelled by the brilliance of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. Some may be surprised to see holders Argentina and Lionel Messi as the outsiders, though the odds are close between all four nations, with each a worthy potential winner.
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