2010 champions Spain have secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final after defeating France in the first of two intense semi-finals held in Dallas on Tuesday evening.

Later that night, Lionel Messi’s Argentina delivered a remarkable late comeback to overcome England in Atlanta, keeping alive their pursuit of consecutive World Cup titles.

The last team to successfully defend the World Cup title was Brazil in 1958 and 1962, making Argentina’s attempt historic. Additionally, the Argentina versus Spain clash marks the first-ever meeting between these two nations in a World Cup final.

For both teams, the opportunity to claim football’s most prestigious trophy awaits on Sunday.

The final will be held at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, 19 July, with kick-off scheduled for 8:00 pm (BST) and 3:00 pm (ET).

Fans in the United Kingdom can watch the final live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, ITV1, and ITVX.

Defending champions Argentina will face off against European champions Spain in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.

The final will also make history as the first World Cup final to feature an official half-time show.

The 11-minute performance will include appearances by Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, BTS, Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus. The show has been curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, who will also perform.

Before the match, a grand Closing Ceremony will take place, beginning at 6:30 pm (BST) and 1:30 pm (ET), exactly 90 minutes before kick-off.

Among the performers scheduled for the Closing Ceremony are Tom Cruise, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, and IShowSpeed.

The third-place play-off, often referred to as the match no team wants to play, will be held on Saturday, 18 July, at 10:00 pm (BST) and 5:00 pm (ET) at the Miami Stadium in Florida. England will take on France in that fixture.