Road to Glory: How Spain and Argentina Reached the FIFA Football World Cup Final 2026

Argentina reached the football World Cup final courtesy of their dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England in the semifinal, as Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi delivered two heroic late assists to spur the historic victory.

Meanwhile, Spain downed 2018 champions France, 2-0, in the semifinal to book their place in Sunday's final.

Argentina is seeking its fourth World Cup title and is looking to become the first back-to-back World Cup champion since Brazil pulled off the feat in 1958 and 1962. Spain is looking for its second title, after winning the 2010 World Cup by beating 1-0 in South Africa.

The Final matchup between the top two-ranked teams in the world marks the first time the reigning Copa America winners will face the reigning European champions in a World Cup final..

How did Spain reach the World Cup Final

FIFA World Ranking: 2
Confederation: UEFA (Europe)
Semi-final Result: Defeated France 2-0

Spain have been one of the standout teams of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after recovering from a surprising goalless draw against Cape Verde in their opening match. From that point on, La Roja found their rhythm, cruising to a 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia before edging Uruguay 1-0 to top Group H.

Their dominance continued in the knockout rounds, eliminating Austria, Portugal, Belgium and most recently France with a composed 2-0 semi-final victory. Defensively, Spain have been exceptional, conceding just one goal throughout the tournament—the fewest of any team remaining.

Inspired by teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, midfield leader Rodri, and top scorer Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain are now aiming to capture their second FIFA World Cup title and become world champions for the first time since 2010.

Record: Six wins, one draw, zero losses.

Goals for: 13.

Goals against: 1.

Group stage:

Spain drew with Cape Verde 0-0,
Spain beat Saudi Arabia 4-0,
Spain beat Uruguay 1-0.

Knockout stage:

Round of 16: Spain beat Austria 3-0,

Round of 16: Spain beat Portugal 1-0,
Quarter-final: Spain beat Belgium 2-1,
Semifinal: Spain beat France 2-0.

How did Argentina reach the World Cup Final

FIFA World Ranking: 1
Confederation: CONMEBOL (South America)
Semi-final Result: Defeated England 2-1

Defending champions Argentina have once again shown why they are the world's top-ranked team, winning all seven of their matches on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final.

Their campaign began with a convincing 3-0 victory over Algeria, highlighted by Lionel Messi's first-ever World Cup hat-trick, before further group-stage wins over Austria and Jordan secured top spot.

The knockout rounds tested Argentina's resilience. They survived thrilling encounters against Cape Verde (3-2 after extra time), Egypt (3-2) and Switzerland (3-1) before producing a dramatic late comeback to defeat England 2-1 in the semi-finals.

Messi has continued to rewrite football history during the tournament, becoming the all-time leading scorer and assist provider in FIFA World Cup history, while also leading the race for the Golden Boot with an outstanding eight goals and four assists.

Now, Argentina stand just one victory away from retaining their world title and becoming only the third nation in history, after Italy (1934 & 1938) and Brazil (1958 & 1962), to win back-to-back FIFA World Cups.

Record: Seven wins, zero draws, zero losses.

Goals for: 19.

Goals against: 7.

Group stage:

Argentina beat Algeria 3-0.

Argentina beat Austria 2-0.

Argentina beat Jordan 3-1.

Knockout stage:

Round of 32: Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2.

Round of 16: Argentina beat Egypt 3-2.

Quarter-final: Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1.

SemiFinal: Argentina beat England 2-1.