World Cup Final 2026 Lineups: Spain and Argentina Name Starting XIs for Historic Clash

The stage is set in New Jersey for the ultimate showdown in international football as Spain and defending champions Argentina have confirmed their starting lineups for the highly anticipated World Cup final 2026 on Sunday.

This historic clash marks the first time in tournament history that the reigning Copa America champions will face off against the reigning European champions on the world’s biggest stage. It also represents a rare battle between the top two nations in the FIFA world rankings, with top-ranked Argentina facing second-placed Spain.

Spain’s manager has opted for continuity, naming an unchanged starting lineup from the side that convincingly defeated France 2-0 in the semi-finals. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro secured La Roja’s place in the final. The starting eleven features Unai Simon in goal, supported by a backline of Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, and Marc Cucurella. The midfield engine room is anchored by Rodri and Fabian Ruiz, while Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, and Alex Baena support Oyarzabal up front.

In contrast, Argentina has made three tactical adjustments to the lineup that secured a dramatic late victory over England in the semi-finals. Trailing 1-0 in the 84th minute, La Albiceleste equalized through a brilliant long-range strike from Enzo Fernandez before Lautaro Martinez headed home a 92nd-minute winner, with both goals assisted by Lionel Messi. For the final, manager Lionel Scaloni has brought Rodrigo De Paul, Nico Gonzalez, and Gonzalo Montiel into the starting XI, replacing Giuliano Simeone, Leandro Paredes, and Nahuel Molina.

Argentina’s defensive unit features goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, protected by Nicolas Tagliafico, Gonzalo Montiel, Lisandro Martinez, and Cristian Romero. De Paul and Gonzalez join Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez in midfield, while Julian Alvarez partners the legendary Lionel Messi in attack.

The final presents several monumental milestones for Argentina’s captain. At 39 years and 25 days old, Messi is poised to become the oldest outfield player to ever feature in a World Cup final. Additionally, he will become only the second player in football history to play in three separate World Cup finals (2014, 2022, and 2026), matching the legendary Brazilian defender Cafu.

Argentina is seeking its fourth global crown, having previously won the tournament in 1978, 1986, and 2022. Should they triumph on Sunday, they would become only the sixth reigning champion to defend their title in the final. Furthermore, having won all seven of their matches in this tournament, Argentina could become the first team since Brazil in 2002 to finish a World Cup campaign with a perfect 100% winning record.

However, Spain presents a formidable obstacle. La Roja has kept six clean sheets during this tournament, the most by any nation in a single World Cup. They also enter the final on an extraordinary 37-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, dating back to a 1-0 friendly defeat against Colombia in March 2024. If Spain avoids defeat in regulation time, they will establish the longest ever unbeaten run by any European nation in international football history.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Football fans in the United Kingdom can watch the live broadcast on BBC One and ITV1, with streaming options available via BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, and ITVX.