The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be decided in extra time after Spain and Argentina played out a tense goalless draw at the end of 90 minutes at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Neither side could find the breakthrough in a closely contested encounter despite creating promising openings, with both defences standing firm in a high-quality tactical battle.
Argentina’s physical approach saw Lautaro Martínez become the first player booked in the 41st minute, while Leandro Paredes and Enzo Fernández were cautioned after the interval. Cristian Romero also entered the referee’s notebook deep into stoppage time as the South Americans fought to contain Spain’s attacking threats.
Spain enjoyed long spells of possession but were unable to turn their dominance into goals, while Argentina remained dangerous on the counter-attack without managing to beat the Spanish defence.
With the score locked at 0-0 after regulation time, the World Cup final moves into an additional 30 minutes of extra time, with the possibility of a penalty shoot-out if the deadlock remains unbroken.
