Can Spain Upset Argentina at the FIFA World Cup Final - Preview and Picks

• The 2026 FIFA World Cup has had quite a few surprises, with England losing out on its ambition to win the World Cup
• France has similarly lost to Spain, sending the team to the World Cup final against Argentina
• Argentina is seeking to secure a back-to-back title, whereas Spain has not won the tournament since 2010

The semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been some of the most dramatic to date. After Spain eliminated France, a team that was supposed to subdue La Roja, the country is now set to contest its second-ever World Cup title.

This, however, will be a demanding task, as the opponent is Argentina, a team that has repeatedly come back on top even when the odds were stacked against it, with La Selección working like clockwork and firing on all cylinders enough to turn even the most dire games into spectacular wins.

Where and when is the Spain vs Argentina World Cup final

• Tarih: Sunday, July 19
• Time: 3:00 pm ET
• Location: MetLife Stadium

Where to watch Spain vs Argentina?

Soccer fans based in the United States may watch the game on FOX on TV or stream it on the FOX One App. The Spanish broadcast is available on Telemundo and Peacock.

Can Spain come out on top against Argentina?

While Spain has been a historic soccer powerhouse, few analysts would have bet on the team to reach the final this year, with France’s performance and consistent track record making it the favorite, right next to Argentina.

Then again, Spain demonstrated exceptional control in the game against Les Bleus, managing to dominate while also defending against the Mbappe-Dembele duo, which has proven simply insufficient to overcome the Spanish backline and convert shots into goals.

France buckled before Spain’s onslaught in return, with La Roja repeatedly exploiting weaknesses in the French defense and turning those into successful goals.

Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro have both delivered in the game against France, scoring in 22’ and then doubling it in 58’, with France repeatedly failing to respond.

It is this tacit and consistent control that allowed the team to carry on, but Unai Simón must also be credited with successfully defending four shots on target from Les Bleus, and he may be seen as one of the key players to have led his team victory.

La Roja’s games against Les Bleus demonstrated the team’s ability to not only secure an early lead but maintain it as well, balancing a fine act between pressuring the opponent while not overextending itself and plowing sufficient resources into its own defense.

Cucurella, Laporte, Cubarsí and Porro played a consistent game in the backline, with Rodri serving as a buffer and first line of defense against oncoming French advances.

Argentina wants to secure back-to-back World Cup titles

La Selección is not a team that necessarily looks unbeatable in the heat of the moment. In fact, many teams have genuinely pressured the Latin American squad, putting it on the back foot and nearly tasting sweet victory only to be left with the bitter aftertaste of Argentina’s merciless pummeling.

Perhaps no other team knows this better than Egypt, which took the lead against Argentina with a 2-0 lead and was then defeated as La Selección not only caught up, but scored a third goal to take the game home.

In other words, it’s not a matter of Argentina looking like a team you cannot score against; the challenge lies elsewhere. Once pressured, Argentina is a team that retains its head in the game, that doesn’t falter just because the score isn’t in its favor.

Its backline holds, its midfielders put the pressure on, and its strikers know that they cannot make mistakes - and it works - every single time so far in the tournament. Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernández have all proven highly capable on the offensive, with Messi leading the vanguard of the Argentinian attack.

The key challenge Spain now faces is that should it find itself prioritizing one player, be that Messi or someone else, Argentina adapts and shifts its own focus, with Fernández and Lautaro Martinez carrying the squad to victory against England, even though the team was behind 1-0.

England properly read the field and kept Messi in a bind, unable to deliver, but consistent shots on target led to La Selección delivering time and again. Alvarez and Messi were indeed suppressed, but the midfielders rose to the challenge and emerged behind the star-studded players like an untamable force that ultimately led to Argentina winning 2-0.

So, what can we expect from the grand finale? Spain is capable of locking down players and adapting to shifting attack patterns, as the squad demonstrated against Spain.

Given Argentina’s current form, we think the team could become World Cup champions, but Spain has proven itself able to avoid the mistakes the teams defeated by La Selección have committed. This is why Casino Guru Haberler is tentatively favoring Spain to win.

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