Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday night, defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time at New York/New Jersey Stadium. It was Spain's second World Cup title, matching their 2010 championship.
The decisive moment came from Ferran Torres, who entered the match as a second-half substitute. Torres got the ball past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in extra time to deliver the win. Fox News reported that Torres had been active throughout the second half, including a header in the 66th minute that Martínez stopped.
The match was tightly contested and largely defined by Spain's control of possession and Argentina's defensive resilience. Spain generated the majority of chances throughout regulation. Lamine Yamal created pressure early, and Spain's defense held firm against Lionel Messi and Argentina's attack. Unai Simón, Spain's goalkeeper, faced relatively little pressure compared to Martínez, who was called upon repeatedly.
By the 82nd minute, Spain had taken 10 shots, seven of which were on goal. Martínez stopped all of them. A particularly clear chance came in stoppage time when Nico Williams ripped a shot that Martínez punched away.
The match turned further in Spain's favor in the 93rd minute when Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez received his second yellow card, resulting in a red card and leaving Argentina to play down one man for the remainder of the match.
Torres was fouled just outside the box shortly before the end of regular time. Extra time followed, and Torres converted the winning goal to end the match.
The halftime show at New York/New Jersey Stadium featured performances from Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and several other musical acts.
For Lionel Messi, if Sunday's match was his final appearance for Argentina, it ended without a second World Cup title. Messi won his first with Argentina in 2022.
Spain's victory also came with a significant financial reward. MarketWatch reported that the World Cup-winning side will take home $50 million, and noted that the IRS will receive a portion of those earnings. The outlet quoted a tax observer as saying, "It doesn't make a difference who wins the game. The IRS will get a piece."
