Spain become the first nation to simultaneously hold FIFA's flagship men's and women's world titles
Luis de la Fuente becomes the oldest coach to win the FIFA World Cup™; Lionel Messi extends his all-time appearance record to 34 FIFA World Cup™ matches
Unai Simón records seven clean sheets, the most by a goalkeeper in a single FIFA World Cup™
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ reached a historic conclusion as Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in New York New Jersey to lift the most coveted prize in world football and bring down the curtain on the biggest and most inclusive edition of the tournament ever staged.
The final delivered another unforgettable chapter in FIFA World Cup™ history, with the showpiece match requiring extra time for the fifth time in the last six editions.
Spain's victory secured their second FIFA World Cup™ title, following their triumph in 2010, and once again it was achieved through a 1-0 victory after extra time.
The tournament concluded after 104 matches featuring 1,039 players from 48 nations, with 308 goals scored at an average of 2.96 per game. Across six weeks of competition, fans witnessed extraordinary sporting drama, record attendances and remarkable individual and team achievements that reflected the global scale and quality of the FIFA World Cup 2026 .
"The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be remembered not only for its scale, but also for the physical intensity of the game, an increased worldwide competitive balance and top performances of some the world's biggest stars throughout the tournament", said FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger.
"With Spain crowned world champions and football's greatest celebration now complete, the FIFA World Cup 2026 closes as a landmark edition that showcased the game's global growth and enduring ability to inspire billions of girls and boys across every continent."
Spain's triumph was built on one of the strongest defensive performances ever seen at a FIFA World Cup. La Roja conceded just one goal across eight matches, the fewest ever by a World Cup-winning team, while goalkeeper Unai Simón recorded seven clean sheets - the most by any goalkeeper in a single edition of the tournament.
The European champions also established a series of remarkable milestones. Having previously lifted the FIFA Women's World Cup™ in 2023, Spain became the first nation to simultaneously hold FIFA's flagship men's and women's world titles. Their total of 14 goals represented their highest-ever tally at a FIFA World Cup, while victory extended their unbeaten run in regular time to 38 matches.
Head coach Luis de la Fuente also entered the history books, becoming the oldest coach ever to win the FIFA World Cup at 65 years and 28 days, surpassing the previous record held by Vicente del Bosque.
Spain's youthful generation continued to capture global attention. Nineteen-year-olds Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí became only the fourth and fifth teenagers ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup final and joined an exclusive group whose members all ended their final appearance as champions: 17-year-old Pelé for Brazil in 1958, 18-year-old Giuseppe Bergomi for Italy in 1982 and 19-year-old Kylian Mbappé for France in 2018. With eight appearances each during the tournament, both Spanish players also set a new record for the most FIFA World Cup matches played before the age of 20.
Despite defeat, Argentina once again demonstrated their enduring excellence on football's greatest stage. The defending champions arrived in the final unbeaten in their previous 13 FIFA World Cup matches and added further chapters to an already remarkable international legacy.
Lionel Messi continued to rewrite football history by extending his all-time FIFA World Cup appearance record to 34 matches. At 39 years and 25 days old, he became the second-oldest player ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup final and the oldest outfield player in the match's history. Team-mate Nicolás Otamendi also entered the record books as one of the oldest players ever to feature in the showpiece match.
