Spain wins 2026 FIFA World Cup with grueling 1-0 victory over Argentina

It took 106 minutes for Ferran Torres to score the first and only goal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, giving Spain the 1-0 win over Argentina in the deciding match.

Spain dominated the match, outshooting Argentina 20-3, but couldn't manage a goal in regulation. Argentina played all of extra time down a man after Enzo Fernández picked up his second yellow card of the match in the third minute of stoppage time at the end of the second half.

In the opening moment of the second 15-minute period of extra time, Torres pounced on a bouncing ball in the box and used his left foot to bury a shot just under the crossbar and into the back of the net. Torres, who came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute, smashed the ball past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez for his first goal of the World Cup.

"It was a goal scored by 47 million people," Torres said, referring to Spain's population.

Fernández was carded for a reckless play that sent Spain defender Pau Cubarsi cartwheeling into the air, and the card came out immediately.

Another foul about two minutes after play resumed gave Lamine Yamal a chance to win it from about 22 yards out on a free kick. Yamal's strike was curling toward the right post, and Martinez dove to knock it away for his 10th save of the afternoon. He would end the game with 12 saves — the most ever in a World Cup final.

He leaped to his feet, punching the air and imploring the crowd to get loud. Not long after that came the whistle, sending the game to extra time. Spain took 15 shots in regulation, Argentina none. Spain took nine corners, Argentina one. And somehow, 90-plus minutes of that sort of dominance weren't enough. With its victory, Spain became the first nation to simultaneously hold the World Cup crowns in both men's and women's soccer.

Spain allowed only one goal in eight matches at the tournament, setting a World Cup record for fewest goals allowed by a champion.

La Roja is now unbeaten in its last 38 matches — 29 wins, nine draws — and is now the outright holder of the longest such streak by any European team ever. Italy went 37 matches (28 wins, nine draws) from October 2018 through September 2021, before Spain ended that streak. 

And for the last two-plus years, nobody has beaten Spain. Not even Lionel Messi. An Argentina team that was the king of the late-game rally in this tournament had no answer this time.

Messi took a corner kick with about four minutes left before the final whistle, and the ball took a fortunate skip toward reserve Giuliano Simeone, who sent it high and over the crossbar, holding his head in disbelief afterward.

The win made Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, at 65, the oldest coach ever to lead a team to the World Cup title. "We are world champions," de la Fuente said. "It was together we reached this stage."

There was some pushing and shoving after the final whistle, including Argentina's Leandro Paredes appearing to grab a Spanish player by the throat. But the fighting was quickly cleaned up, and Spain commenced its celebration as most Argentine players sat on the turf in disbelief. Cooler heads prevailed, and Spain's players lined up minutes later to form an honor guard of sorts for Argentina's squad to walk through on its way to the stage for the runner-up medals.

With 48 nations from across the globe competing this year, it was the largest FIFA World Cup in history. The men's final capped a 39-day whirlwind that saw more than six million fans attend matches in three different host countries, including, for the first time in decades, the United States. 

The final took place as skies began to clear over the Northeast, after several hazy days of wildfire smoke that traveled southward from Canada. World Cup officials said they had been closely monitoring conditions ahead of the final.

Argentina was the defending champion and had been angling to become the first country to secure two consecutive World Cup titles since Brazil's back-to-back victories during the tournaments in 1958 and 1962. But Spain, which was slightly favored to take home the title this year, would not be denied its second World Cup title.

Sunday's match came 60 years after teams representing the two finalists met during the 1966 World Cup, when Argentina defeated Spain in a 2-1 match during the tournament's group stage. 

This was only the second time Spain has competed in the final, with the first being the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which was also the country's inaugural World Cup win. Argentina had reached the finals seven times, previously winning three of them.

A who's who of attendees

As players and crowds geared up for the final, there was a pre-match closing ceremony held at 1:30, featuring musical guests Post Malone and Robbie Williams, with Jennifer Hudson performing the national anthem. Actor Tom Cruise also appeared at the ceremony, while Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, the Muppets and others performed during the 11-minute halftime show. 

Global figures including President Trump, Spain's Royal Family and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were in the stands, along with celebrities like Matt Damon, Carlos Alcaraz and Mick Jagger. 

Mr. Trump arrived at the stadium shortly before 2:30 p.m., after a flyover in the helicopter Marine One. He was then spotted in his box with First Lady Melania Trump, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of State Sean Duffy. He was also joined by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who Mr. Trump invited amid trade tensions between the two nations. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday that she was confident in the security measures in place for the tournament, in light of its list of prominent guests.

"We have been preparing for this for, literally, over a year," said Hochul, noting that federal, state and local law enforcement has coordinated closely on more than "1,000 exercises, table-topping all the scenarios" that could arise. 

"I feel very confident in our security, and we're so happy to welcome the eyes of the world," the governor added. "The entire planet is going to be watching what is happening right here in the New York City area. So it's exciting, very exciting time for us."