Spain and Argentina face off in the 2026 World Cup Final this evening at 8pm (UK time) with both sides searching for glory.
Spain are looking to win their second World Cup trophy. It would put them level with Uruguay and France in World Cup history. And they’d match Uruguay for the best perfect record in finals, having only previously appeared in the showpiece when winning in 2010.
After a slow start, the European champions have grown as the tournament has gone on, and go into the final as favourites. It has been a tough route to the final, with Spain knocking out Austria and Portugal to reach the quarter-finals. There, they beat Belgium 2-1 — conceding their only goal of the tournament so far — before expertly managing a 2-0 victory over France in the semi-finals.
Argentina, meanwhile, are the defending champions. And they’re looking to become just the third nation to retain the World Cup. Italy were the first to do so in 1934 and 1938, while Brazil followed suit in 1958 and 1962. They’ve had to fight hard for their spot in the final, despite topping their group with a perfect record.
La Albiceleste needed extra time to beat debutants Cape Verde in the last-32, having twice given up a lead. They then had to come from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 to secure their spot in the quarter-finals. That brought another extra-time victory, this time against 10-man Switzerland. And Argentina trailed against England late on, before eventually coming from behind to book a place in the final.
This will be the 15th meeting between these two sides, and they have been evenly matched. Both sides have won six games each alongside two draws. But they haven’t met in competitive football since a 2-1 win for Argentina in the 1966 World Cup.
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Spain vs Argentina team news
Spain team news
Luis de la Fuente hasn’t made any changes to the team that started Spain’s win over France. He has largely kept with the same starting lineup across the tournament as a whole, only making the odd change. Those have often been at right-back and in the midfield, but players look to have nailed down their spots.
Pedro Porro made sure of the win against France in the semi-final, continuing his run at right-back. He didn’t train on Thursday but has done enough to keep his spot having won the battle with Marcos Llorente earlier in the tournament. He’ll form part of an unchanged defensive unit, alongside Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella and Unai Simon.
The other big call came in the past two matches. De la Fuente opted to drop Pedri from the midfield, bringing Fabian Ruiz in alongside Rodri. The pair have done well as the double pivot, and they continue against Argentina, with Dani Olmo in the No.10 role. Lamine Yamal starts on the right, despite an injury worry having missed training on Thursday — with his workload being managed. Alex Baena has made the left-wing spot his with Nico Williams struggling for fitness across the tournament. Mikel Oyarzabal will lead the line.
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Argentina team news
Lionel Scaloni named another different starting XI against England, as he looked to combat the Three Lions and he’s done the same thing here in the final. The big change is a return to the starting lineup for Rodrigo De Paul, who changed the game after coming on. Guiliano Simeone didn’t have much attacking output and seemed to be in the team to disrupt England through his ferocity.
De Paul will form part of the flexible midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez but Leandro Paredes is not in the starting eleven in his usual holding role. Instead Nico Gonzalez comes into the side on the left wing, as Scaloni opts for a change in his midfield unit.
Lionel Messi, of course, starts and it’s Julian Alvarez that has been picked to lead the line, despite Lautaro Martinez coming off the bench to score the winner against England.
Both Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero were booked against England but that has no impact on their places in the starting lineup. They’ll are flanked by Gonzalo Montiel and Nicolas Tagliafico, with the latter having won the battle at left-back over Facundo Medina.
Spain vs Argentina confirmed lineups
Spain (4-2-3-1): Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Ruiz, Rodri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal.
Argentina (4-4-2): E Martinez; Montiel, Romero, Li Martinez, Tagliafico; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Gonzalez; Messi, Alvarez.
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