The 2026 FIFA World Cup final arrives on Sunday, July 19, with Argentina taking on Spain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Kick-off is set for 3pm ET, giving fans across the country a Sunday afternoon showpiece to close out the tournament.
It is the biggest match of the summer and the final of the first 48-team World Cup, hosted jointly across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Quick facts
- Match: Argentina vs Spain, FIFA World Cup 2026 final
- Date: Sunday, July 19, 2026
- Kick-off: 3pm ET / 12pm PT
- Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- US broadcasters: Fox (English), Telemundo (Spanish)
What time is kick-off?
The match kicks off at 3pm Eastern Time. For fans elsewhere in the country, that translates to 2pm Central, 1pm Mountain and 12pm Pacific. Pre-match coverage is expected to begin well before that, with build-up shows covering team news, lineups and the storylines around the two finalists.
Where is the final being played?
MetLife Stadium, home to the NFL’s Giants and Jets, is hosting the final. The venue holds more than 82,000 fans and has already staged several major matches during the knockout rounds, making it the natural pick to close out the tournament.
Who is playing?
Argentina reached the final as the reigning champions, defending the title they won at Qatar 2022, and a win would make them just the third team in World Cup history to retain the trophy, following Brazil and Italy. Spain reached their second ever World Cup final, having won their only previous title back in 2010. The match also sets up a first international meeting between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, a matchup that has been building since a viral photo of the two surfaced from years earlier, as FOX Sports reported.
How to watch in the US
English-language coverage in the United States airs on Fox, with Telemundo carrying Spanish-language coverage, according to UCFB’s breakdown of global broadcast rights.
