Spain vs Argentina Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Final
FIFA World Cup 2026 concludes with a stellar final as European champions Spain take on reigning world and double South American champions Argentina in New York/New Jersey on Sunday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – BBC & ITV / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer & the BBC Sport website & app & ITVX / USA – FOX One
Spain preview: Improving along the way
Luis de la Fuente led Spain to winning the UEFA Nations League in 2023 and then UEFA EURO 2024 - and now La Roja are going for the big one, having reached their second ever FIFA World Cup final.
Like in the semi-finals of UEFA EURO 2024 and the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League last summer, Spain defeated France. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro gave them a 2-0 win against Les Bleus in midweek. The 2-0 scoreline perhaps flattered the French, with Spain simply supreme and able to control every facet of the game.
Spain started the tournament slowly but have grown into it as it has gone, saving their best performances for the latter stages and they appear to be a team in complete control of everything right now.
Argentina preview: Finding a way
A team with control is not something that can be said of Argentina but La Albiceleste, who have won two Copa America trophies as well as the FIFA World Cup in the last five years, are now gearing up for a fourth successive major tournament final.
The Argentinians went through some rollercoaster matches in the knockout stages, all the way through to defeating old rivals England in the semi-finals in Atlanta on Wednesday, following extra-time wins against Cabo Verde and Switzerland, either side of coming from 2-0 down to defeat Egypt.
Argentina went behind against England early on in the second half but the inexplicably extreme retreat of the English allowed Argentina to dictate everything late on and it was a matter of time before they scored. Enzo Fernandez eventually equalised in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez sent Argentina through in stoppage time.
Spain team news: Unlikely to change
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Spain have dealt with attacking injuries throughout the tournament. Everyone is now fit, though, and Nico Williams is pushing for a start but it would be a surprise to see him get in ahead of Alex Baena on the left wing.
Pedri was dropped ahead of the quarter-finals, in place of Fabian Ruiz. That surprise dropping was coming with Pedri majorly underperforming compared to his usually very high standards and Ruiz’ performances have justified De la Fuente’s big call.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Argentina team news: Lautaro could start
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Argentina did make a big change against England, going to a 4-3-3 instead of the 4-4-2 diamond shape with Giuliano Simeone coming in for Rodrigo De Paul to become more attacking.
Simeone may well drop out again with match-winner Lautaro Martinez starting up front, allowing for Lionel Messi to drift out to the right, where he has done most of his damage in the knockout stages.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Li. Martinez, Tagliafico; Fernandez, Paredes, Mac Allister; Messi, La. Martinez, Alvarez
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Spain’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Marc Cucurella ($5.1m) – Defender
Lamine Yamal ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Mikel Oyarzabal ($8.1m) – Forward
Matchday 8 captain pick: Mikel Oyarzabal
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal, Rodri
Free kicks: Lamine Yamal
Corners: Lamine Yamal
Argentina’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Cristian Romero ($4.9m) – Defender
Lionel Messi ($10.0m) – Forward
Julian Alvarez ($8.6m) – Forward
Matchday 8 captain pick: Lionel Messi
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Lionel Messi
Free kicks: Lionel Messi
Corners: Lionel Messi
Key stats
- The sides have met once at the FIFA World Cup: Argentina won 2-1 in the 1966 group stage. Their overall record across 14 meetings is perfectly balanced: six wins each and two draws. The last two encounters produced emphatic victories for each team — Argentina 4-1 in 2010, Spain 6-1 in 2018.
- This is the first World Cup final contested by the reigning UEFA European champion and reigning CONMEBOL Copa América champion. Spain won EURO 2024 (2–1 vs England), while Argentina won Copa América 2024 (1–0 AET vs Colombia).
- The final pits the tournament’s best defence (Spain, 1 goal conceded) against its most prolific attack (Argentina, 19 goals). Spain are unbeaten, winning six straight after a 0–0 opening draw with Cabo Verde. Argentina have won all seven matches.
- Four of the last five World Cup finals have gone to extra time.
- South American teams have prevailed in eight of the 11 finals contested between South American and European nations.
- Spain have reached the FIFA World Cup final for the second time. The last time they did so was in 2010, when they defeated the Netherlands 1-0 to lift the trophy. They were also European champions at the time (EURO 2008).
- Spain aim to become the first nation to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles simultaneously, having won the women’s trophy in 2023. They are already one of two nations (with Germany) to have won both.
- Spain are unbeaten in regular time in their last 37 matches (W28 D9), a run stretching back to a 1-0 defeat by Colombia in a friendly in London on 22 March 2024. This is their longest-ever unbeaten sequence and has equalled Italy's record for a European nation, set between October 2018 and September 2021 – a run ended on 6 October 2021 by Spain in the Nations League (Spain won 2-1).
- Spain have conceded only one goal in their seven matches at the 2026 finals, keeping six clean sheets in seven matches. No team has previously kept six clean sheets in a single edition. They could break the record for fewest goals conceded by a World Cup winning team; three teams won the title conceding only twice during the tournament; France (1998), Italy (2006) and Spain (2010).
- Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí could break the record for most World Cup appearances by a teenager. Both currently have seven appearances, level with Kylian Mbappé's tally before turning 20.
- Fabián Ruiz is set to make his 50th appearance for Spain; remarkably, he has not tasted defeat in regular time in his previous 49 (W34 D15).
- Unai Simón's total of six clean sheets is the highest by a goalkeeper in a single edition of the World Cup.
- At 65 years and 28 days on the day of the final, Luis de la Fuente could become the oldest coach to win the FIFA World Cup, beating the record held by Vicente del Bosque, who was 59 years and 200 days old when he guided Spain to their maiden title in 2010.
- This is Argentina's 7th World Cup final appearance — the second most all-time (behind Germany's 8).
- Argentina are aiming for a 4th World Cup title which would equal Germany and Italy’s totals, with only Brazil (5) having won more.
- Argentina have reached consecutive FIFA World Cup finals for the second time after they also did so in 1986 and 1990.
- Argentina are now undefeated in their last 13 FIFA World Cup matches (W11 D2), which extends the nation’s best-ever unbeaten run at the competition.
- Argentina have scored two or more goals in their last 13 games at the FIFA World Cup, extending their competition record.
- Argentina’s 19 goals are a national record for a single edition, surpassing 18 in 1930. Only Hungary (27, 1954), Germany FR (25, 1954), Brazil (22, 1950) and France (23, 1958) have reached 20+. Note: France are on 16 in 2026 prior to the third place play-off.
- Lionel Scaloni is aiming to become only the second coach to win two FIFA World Cup titles, following Vittorio Pozzo who was successful with Italy in 1934 and 1938.
- At 39 years and 25 days on the day of the final, Lionel Messi could become the oldest outfield player to make an appearance in a World Cup final, surpassing Sweden’s Gunnar Gren, who was 37 years and 241 days old when they faced Brazil in 1958. He would also be the second oldest player to play in the final behind Italy goalkeeper Dino Zoff who played and won the final in 1982 against Germany FR at 40 years and 133 days old.
- A runner-up in 2014 and winner in 2022, Lionel Messi could become only the second player to make an appearance in three World Cup finals after Brazil’s Cafu (1994, 1998 and 2002). Cafu made the first of those as a substitute so Messi could be the first to start three finals.
- Lionel Messi has contributed at least one goal or assist in his last 11 World Cup appearances (13 goals and 6 assists).
- Lautaro Martínez scored as a substitute in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals. No player has scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the same edition from the bench.
- Lionel Messi has scored twice in friendlies against Spain – in a 2-1 defeat in Madrid in November 2009 and a 4-1 victory in Buenos Aires in September 2010.
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Spain vs Argentina prediction
Spain have been brilliant as the tournament has gone on. Their performance against France was so dominant that they eventually made the star-studded French attack look completely toothless.
Argentina have perhaps the biggest star of them all in Lionel Messi but, unlike England and the rest, Spain are unlikely to afford Argentina so much of the ball to allow Messi and his teammates to do whatever they want.
Spain can control the ball but also have players that will run at the shaky Argentinian back-line, with Lamine Yamal finding some superb form against a poor Lucas Digne in the semi-finals.
Argentina have something intangible that is helping them along with the desire and emotion on full display but they aren’t as good a team as Spain, and the Spanish have shown that they are unlikely to make any drastic changes to their approach at any stage, instead trusting themselves to simply be better, with and without the ball.
Spain vs Argentina betting tip: Spain to win
