Spain and Argentina will meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey Stadium). Kick-off is at 3:00 PM ET (8:00 PM BST).
Both teams won in the semi-finals — Spain beat France, and Argentina beat England — and will now battle for the World Cup trophy. Managers often rotate for this fixture, but Golden Boot contenders are still expected to feature.
This is a historic clash — Spain aiming for their second World Cup title and Argentina looking to defend their crown and secure back-to-back victories for the first time since Brazil in 1962.
Spain and Argentina boast near-fully fit squads with no major injuries or suspensions heading into the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Both heavyweights have survived individual scare warnings to feature their full tactical formulas at MetLife Stadium.
Here are the latest predicted starting XIs based on recent team news and form.
Spain Starting XI vs Argentina Lineup
Here is Spain’s projected lineup in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
- Goalkeeper: Unai Simón
- Defenders: Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella
- Midfielders: Rodri, Fabián Ruiz
- Attackers: Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Álex Baena
- Striker: Mikel Oyarzabal
Notes: Luis de la Fuente is expected to keep faith with the side that beat France in the semi-final. Rodri anchors the midfield, while Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal lead the attack. Nico Williams remains a doubt from earlier in the tournament.
Spain Injury Update
Spain’s squad is completely clear of major injuries ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina. Manager Luis de la Fuente has access to his full core of preferred starting players following late individual fitness tests.
- Fermin Lopez: The midfielder remains the team’s only structural absentee. He missed the entire tournament after suffering a fractured metatarsal but remains with the group in the United States as a spectator.
- Nico Williams & Yeremy Pino: Both wingers shook off earlier tournament knocks (groin and collarbone strain respectively) sustained during the group stages. They have been integrated as fully fit, highly explosive attacking depth options from the bench.
Argentina Starting XI vs Spain Lineup
Here is Argentina’s projected lineup in a 4-4-2 formation:
- Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martínez
- Defenders: Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Tagliafico
- Midfielders: Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister
- Forwards: Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez
Notes: Lionel Scaloni is likely to restore Rodrigo De Paul after his impact as a substitute. Lautaro Martínez is expected to be available as a high-impact substitute. Messi is fully fit and will be central to Argentina’s hopes in what could be his final World Cup match.
Argentina Injury Update
Argentina has a fully fit squad available for the World Cup final against Spain.
- Emiliano Martínez: Playing through the pain of a broken finger sustained in May. He has delayed surgery until after the tournament and remains fully cleared to start in goal.
- Cristian Romero: Completely recovered from the severe muscle cramps that impacted him in earlier knockout rounds.
- Facundo Medina: He has been the only lingering doubt following an absence since the Round of 32, but the rest of the squad is 100% available.
Key Tactical Points
Spain will look to control the game through possession and the midfield dominance of Rodri. They are excellent at building from the back and creating chances through quick combinations.
Argentina will defend compactly and look to release Messi and Álvarez on the counter-attack. Set-pieces and late-game impact from the bench (Lautaro Martínez) could be decisive.
Historical H2H Advantage
Historically, the all-time head-to-head record between Spain and Argentina is perfectly even. Before their recent 2026 World Cup final encounter, the two sides had faced each other 14 times in football history.
Prediction
This final is expected to be tight and high-quality. Spain are slight favourites due to their defensive record and current form, but Argentina’s experience and Messi’s magic make them extremely dangerous.
- Predicted Score: Spain 2-1 Argentina (or Argentina to win on penalties).
