The 2026 World Cup final will take place on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, and it will be one of the most memorable of all time. Luis de la Fuente’s Spain, probably the best team of the tournament after beating France in the semifinal, will meet Argentina and Lionel Messi in what might become his last ever game at the World Cup. Spain have won the World Cup only once, lifting the trophy in 2010, and they will be appearing in just their second final on Sunday. Argentina, meanwhile, are three-time world champions, having triumphed in 1978 with Mario Kempes, 1986 under Diego Armando Maradona’s inspiration, and most recently in 2022. A victory on Sunday would see La Albiceleste become only the third nation in history to retain the World Cup, following Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962). Here’s what you need to know:
How to watch Spain vs. Argentina
Date: Sunday, July 15 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: MetLife Stadium — East Rutherford, N.J.
TV: FOX (Eng), Telemundo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Odds: Spain +125; Draw +200; Argentina +254
The iconic photo
You’ve probably seen it by now, but back in 2007, then-Barcelona prodigy Lionel Messi posed for a photoshoot where he was bathing a little baby. The Argentina superstar will see that baby again. Five months old at the time, it was Spain’s rising superstar Lamine Yamal. On Sunday, nearly two decades later, they’ll face each other in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium between Spain and Argentina. A game that will not only determine the new world champions but can potentially also decide who is going to be the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner between Messi and Yamal. But first, how did Messi and Yamal end up together in that photoshoot?
It all began in the fall of 2007, when Diario Sport, the Catalan newspaper, partnered with UNICEF, one of Barcelona’s longtime charitable partners, to produce a calendar for 2008, a format that was especially popular across Europe at the time. The idea was to shoot pictures of the first team with kids from the Barcelona area. To make it happen, UNICEF created a contest in the Rocafonda neighborhood in the Spanish city of Mataró, close to Barcelona, and the parents of Yamal participated and were selected to be part of it.
How Lionel Messi’s iconic photo with baby Lamine Yamal came to be as Argentina, Spain prep for World Cup final
Francesco Porzio
“Back then, nobody could imagine that this baby would be who he is now and you could not have known that Messi would become who he became, either,” Joan Monfort, then a freelance photographer for the Associated Press, told The Athletic in a 2024 interview.
“We are talking about 2007. Messi was only beginning at Barca then. Destiny plays an important role in these things. Messi is a pretty introverted guy, he’s shy. He was coming out of the locker room and suddenly he finds himself in another locker room with a plastic tub full of water and a baby in it. It was complicated. He didn’t even know how to hold him at first. At the start, there was not much interaction. It was difficult for all of them. But, bit by bit, it started to happen and in the end, it’s a pretty good photo.”
The picture became viral again in 2024 when the father of Yamal, Mounir Nasraoui, shared it again on his social media, telling the story and comparing his son with the Argentinian legend. Even UNICEF chimed in on social media on Thursday, posting the picture and saying, “Yes, those photos you’ve seen are real. More than 18 years ago, a baby named Lamine Yamal and his mom, Sheila, met Lionel Messi at a UNICEF fundraising photoshoot. Today, their achievements on the pitch inspire millions. Off the pitch, both Messi and Lamine Yamal use their voices.”
Trump to attend the final
U.S. president Donald Trump is expected to present the World Cup trophy to the winners of the tournament but has not attended any of the 102 World Cup games so far, missing the United States matches as well. However, his increasingly close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino has come under intense media scrutiny, particularly after FIFA lifted Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension ahead of the round of 16 clash against Belgium. A decision that, according to Trump himself, was made following his personal request. Mauricio Pochettino‘s side lost 4-1 against Belgium and were knocked out by the Red Devils.
2026 World Cup final: U.S. President Donald Trump to attend; FIFA will present championship rings
Francesco Porzio
Spain vs. Argentina predicted starting lineups
Spain: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Álex Baena; Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal.
Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, Thiago Almada; Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez.
Spain vs. Argentina pick, prediction
Spain have looked like the better and more complete team throughout the tournament, but Argentina’s recent performances have been nothing short of outstanding. The magic shows up again. Pick: Argentina 2, Spain 1
Golazo 48 Nations: Follow the World Cup all summer long
Golazo 48 Nations is your all-access destination for the World Cup, with wall-to-wall coverage across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. From the first whistle to the final recap, the entire Golazo crew will guide fans through every moment of the tournament.
Each day begins with Morning Footy, setting the stage with the latest news, storylines, and previews ahead of kickoff. From there, Golazo Matchday and Golazo Matchnight deliver reaction and analysis as the action unfolds. Fans can also tune in for coverage of USMNT matches with the Call It What You Want team, as well as reaction to other marquee matchups.
The day wraps with Scoreline, a comprehensive nightly recap of every result, moment, and storyline from across the tournament. Altogether, the Golazo Network will deliver up to 12 hours of programming each matchday, available across the Golazo Network and its YouTube channel.
