Overview
- The final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford with Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic in charge and live broadcasts on FOX (English) and Telemundo (Spanish) plus streaming options such as Fubo.
- Argentina enter as the defending champions seeking consecutive World Cups and rely on Lionel Messi, who has eight goals and four assists in the tournament and has driven a string of late comebacks.
- Spain arrives unbeaten through regulation in 37 matches, has conceded just one World Cup goal and depends on a defence anchored by goalkeeper Unai Simón and the breakout play of 19‑year‑old Lamine Yamal.
- Primary FIFA tickets for the final are sold out and resale prices have surged into the thousands of dollars, while an unprecedented halftime show and a lineup of VIPs — including President Trump and Spain’s royal family — add to the global spectacle.
- Organizers have stepped up security and monitored local air quality before kickoff, and the key on-field question is whether Spain’s possession and defence can withstand Argentina’s late attacking pressure with historic back‑to‑back implications.