Spain Beat Argentina in Extra Time to Win 2026 FIFA World Cup

Spain captured the 2026 FIFA World Cup title after substitute Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute of extra time to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory over defending champions Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

The triumph marked Spain's second men's World Cup crown and made them the first nation to simultaneously hold both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup titles . It also brought an end to Argentina's reign as world champions and denied Lionel Messi another historic World Cup success.

Spain dominated the contest throughout regulation time, controlling possession, creating chances and keeping Argentina largely pinned back in their own half. Despite Spain's superiority, Argentina's defence and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez kept the match scoreless for more than 100 minutes with a series of outstanding saves.

The turning point came in second-half stoppage time when Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernández was shown a second yellow card and sent off following a reckless challenge on Spanish defender Pau Cubarsí . Reduced to 10 men, Argentina faced even greater pressure during extra time.

Spain finally found the breakthrough at the start of the second extra-time period. A loose ball bounced inside the penalty area and Ferran Torres reacted quickest, firing a left-footed strike under the crossbar to send Spanish supporters into celebration.

Martínez continued to keep Argentina alive with a spectacular stop from a dangerous Lamine Yamal free kick and finished with 10 saves , the most ever recorded in a World Cup final. However, even his heroics were not enough to prevent Spain from lifting the trophy.

Despite Argentina's defeat, France star Kylian Mbappé achieved a major personal milestone. With Messi failing to score in the final , Mbappé finished as the tournament's leading scorer and became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to win the Golden Boot twice , adding the 2026 award to the one he claimed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar .

The final brought down the curtain on the biggest World Cup in history. The expanded 48-team tournament , jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico , featured 104 matches and produced a record 308 goals .

The occasion also attracted a star-studded audience. Actors including Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy and Daniel Craig were present, while sporting icons such as Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz, Patrick Mahomes, David Beckham, Didier Drogba and Zinedine Zidane watched from the stands.

Entertainment was equally grand, with Post Malone headlining the closing ceremony and a historic halftime show featuring Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Burna Boy .

U.S. President Donald Trump attended the final and was expected to participate in the trophy presentation ceremony after Spain's memorable victory.