The 23rd World Cup final will be held in the United States on Sunday, almost 32 years to the day that the 15th edition was played in Pasadena, California.
48 teams entered the tournament a little over a month ago and only two remain in the form of Spain and defending champions Argentina.
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There are few sporting events like the World Cup final. It only comes around once every four years, giving it a unique reverence in soccer’s landscape.
Here’s all you need to know about the game.
2026 World Cup final to kick-off at 3pm EDT
Spain vs Argentina is scheduled to kick off at 3pm EDT, which is 8pm BST and 9pm CET.
In Buenos Aires, the game will kick off 4pm ART.
Soccer matches last for 90 minutes. If the teams are still tied by then, there will be a 30-minute period of extra-time split into two 15-minute halves.
Should the deadlock remain, the World Cup final will go to a penalty shootout. Each team take up to five kicks and they are taken alternately.
If one team scores more than the other can possibly reach even if they were to score their remaining kicks, they will win the game.
If the initial five penalties do not produce a winner, the shootout goes to ‘sudden death’.
That means single kicks taken alternately until one team has scored more than the other after the same number of penalties.
World Cup final 2026 to be played in New Jersey
The New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey has been given the honor of hosting the game.
Otherwise known as the MetLife Stadium (the venue had to change its name because of FIFA branding and sponsorship rules during the World Cup), it has already hosted seven matches during the tournament so far.
Read more:
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FIFA 2026 World Cup final: How much prize money the winner and runner-up gets
Fury as FIFA set to profit millions selling MetLife Stadium grass paid for by New Jersey taxpayers
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