Live: Spain and Argentina meet in the World Cup final

Spain is looking to win its second World Cup, taking on four-time and defending champions Argentina at New York/New Jersey Stadium.Follow all the action in our live blog.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:20amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:20amRanking the players, Spain vs ArgentinaMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:19amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:19am'Laime has to be Laime': de la Fuente(Getty Images)Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said comparison between Laine Yamal and Lionel Messi is unwise ahead of today's final.Other than a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their opener, Spain have rarely looked seriously in jeopardy and were dominant in a 2-0 semifinal victory over favored France.And they've done all of this with only one goal from Yamal, who began the tournament still working back to 90-minute fitness after recovering from a left hamstring strain sustained in mid-April playing for Barcelona.The presence of Messi on the other team will bring comparisons for Lamine, whose only goal came in a 4-0 group-stage win over Saudi Arabia."Messi is a one-of-a-time-in-history player, and he's an example, a role model for youth and younger players, his attitude, his behavior," de la Fuente said."Lamine has to be Lamine Yamal himself, and the best way we can support him is by helping him be the person we know today because he has a great potential, a great future."Spain are looking for their second World Cup crown after their 2010 triumph in South Africa with an earlier generation.With Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo and Rodri in midfield, this group is arguably as talented, if not necessarily as flamboyant, as that 2010 group.And the team insist they are just as determined to leave their own legacy."We are very much satisfied with the team's process, but we are far more ambitious than this," Rodri said."We have a great challenge ahead of us on Sunday, a very beautiful challenge in order to make [people] proud of this generation."ReutersMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:17amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:17amMartínez playing with broken finger(Getty Images)Emi Martínez may not be everyone's cup of tea.However, the Argentine keeper is earning serious kudos for playing throughout this World Cup with a broken finger.Martínez fractured his ring finger back in May, playing for Aston Villa in the Europa League."No, it still hurts every day," Martínez said on Friday."I knew it was going to hurt a lot. I avoided surgery."All the specialists I consulted told me I had to have surgery or I wouldn't be able to play."The injury even had Martínez training apart from his Argentina teammates during the first stages of the World Cup.Despite the injury, Martínez has started every game for Argentina during the 2026 World Cup and kept two clean sheets.Look, very impressive and all, but Kookaburras defender Matt Dawson actually cut his finger off so he could play at the Olympics in Paris, so you know, it could be worse.Martínez has not had quite the same level of impact that he had in 2022, when he won the golden glove as best keeper.Here's a list of the best keepers from a statistical point of view this year.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:15amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:15amArgentina makes three changesThe Albiceleste have made three changes from the team that played England in the semifinal.Rodrigo De Paul returns in midfield, Gonzalo Montiel starts at right back and Nicolás González comes in on the wing for Argentina.Giuliano Simeone, Nahuel Molina and Leandro Paredes drop out as Lionel Messi captains Argentina in their title defence.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:14amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:14amSpain unchanged for World Cup finalTeam news for the Spanish - and there are no changes from the team that beat France so comprehensively in the semifinal.(@SEFutbol)Luis de la Fuente has not had to do anything to his team, despite a couple of players coming into this match with a couple of knocks.Lamine Yamal missed some training this week after getting a kick in the semifinal, while Pedro Porro plays despite complaining of hamstring discomfort.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:11amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:11amClosing ceremony brings good vibes(Getty Images)This World Cup is going out in All-American showbiz style.The closing ceremony got underway 1.5 hours before kick off, headlined by Post Malone, but there was already a big crowd in here to watch.“America’s tenor” Christopher Macchio sang a stirring rendition of America the Beautiful, just to remind everyone where we are, lots of USA vibes here for this final between Spain and Argentina.The half time show will be even bigger, I’ll keep you updated on that- it’ll feature Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Shakira and push the half time break out to 30 minutes.It’s quite warm, around 28 degrees although inside the stadium it feels warmer than that. But I’d say on the lower end of some of the oppressive heat conditions faced in other games.Fans are still filing in but looks to be more Argentina supporters at this stage. I’m in the block behind the Spain fans who are peaking early, there were some fun scenes in the concourse of them jumping and cheering.It is so special to be here for this event, let’s hope the game lives up to all the expectation and VAMOS!Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:07amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:07amWhere is the World Cup final being held?(Getty Images)MetLife Stadium or The New Meadowlands is one of the most impressive stadiums in all of America, hosting the city's NFL franchises, the New York Giants and Jets.(Getty Images)It is so impressive that the NFL made an exception and hosted the Super Bowl here despite there being a policy of only playing them in outdoor stadiums in southern states on account of the February weather.Super Bowl XLVIII, in 2014, saw the Seahawks thump the Broncos 43–8.(Getty Images)It cost $US1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) to build in 2010, but apparently that cost didn't include enough for a roof over the stands or any public transport worth a dime to get out there from the Manhattan metropolis.(Getty Images)It has hosted plenty of big football matches, including the 2016 Copa América Centenario final, where Chile beat Argentina on penalties, and also saw Chelsea win the Club World Cup final last year.(Getty Images)Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:02amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:02amHow can I watch the World Cup final?The game will be broadcast live on SBS and streamed on SBS On Demand.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:01amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:01amWhat time is the World Cup final?The World Cup final will kick off at 5am AEST on Monday, July 20.That is 4:30am CST and 3am AWST.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:01amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 4:01amTHIS. IS. IT!Hello everyone, I’m Amanda Shalala at New York New Jersey Stadium today for this game.There was an unbelievable buzz around Manhattan last night, I was in Times Square as thousands of Argentines completely took over and were frankly creating beautiful chaotic scenes for hours.Similarly Spanish fans gathered around Madison Square Garden and the High Line for their own hype fest.Today I’ve been chatting to fans outside the stadium, there were some Aussies who wouldn’t disclose how much they paid for tickets but said it was a lifelong dream to attend a men’s World Cup final.There were many others who didn’t have tickets, including some going the conventional route offering money, but others were choosing to try and manifest someone giving them a freebie. Don’t think it’s going to happen but gotta respect the hustle.(ABC Sport)Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 3:55amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 3:55amHappy World Cup final day(Getty Images)Hello everyone and welcome to ABC Sport's live coverage of the FIFA World Cup final.My name is Simon Smale and I am your eyes and ears this morning ahead of what promises to be a spectacular occasion in New Jersey.Amanda Shalala will be giving us updates from Metlife Stadium, as Argentina look to become the first team to go back-to-back since Brazil in 1962, while Spain are hoping to add a second World Cup crown to their tally.The tournament's closing ceremony has been and gone, so full focus on the two teams now.