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Current world champions Argentina aim to successfully defend their title when taking on Spain in the World Cup 2026 final.
La Seleccion face off against La Roja at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, home of National Football League teams the New York Giants and New York Jets. The arena will be packed to its 80,000+ capacity, with millions more following the play on TV and live streaming apps.
Which nation will come out on top?
Spain famously won this trophy back in 2010 when beating the Netherlands 1-0 in South Africa. Argentina lifted the title in 1978, 1986, and 2022.
Following a last-gasp win over England in a gripping semi-final, Lionel Scaloni's men have a real chance to make it two-in-a-row. Will Lionel Messi and co secure their place in the history books?
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Keep reading as experienced football betting expert Frank Monkhouse offers his three data-driven picks.
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Spain v Argentina betting tips
Argentina to lift the trophy @ 13/10 (bet365)
Argentina 2-1 Spain @ 12/1 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Head-to-head
You'll find everything you need to make a well-informed prediction on the 2026 World Cup final at Flashscore.
I find the head-to-head stats invaluable when studying a match and making predictions. You'd be surprised just how often the H2H points towards a successful bet at strong odds. Could that be the case again in Sunday's match, watched by millions of fans across Planet Football?
Here is the final score from every previous meeting between Argentina and Spain.
Spain 6-1 Argentina - 2018 - Friendly
Argentina 4-1 Spain - 2010 - Friendly
Spain 2-1 Argentina - 2009 - Friendly
Spain 2-1 Argentina - 2006 - Friendly
Spain 0-2 Argentina - 1999 - Friendly
Argentina 2-1 Spain - 1966 - World Cup
Overall
Spain - 3 wins
Draws - 0
Argentina - 3 wins
Aggregate score
Spain 12-11 Argentina
What the H2H stats tell us
Spain vs Argentina is a meeting of two talented and highly ambitious teams. The head-to-head stats suggest we should prepare for another entertaining night with a few goals and even more talking points.
Last five finals
Many successful and profitable bettors like to take their lead from past finals.
Let's look for any obvious trends in the results after 90 minutes. Please note that these scores don't reflect extra time and penalties.
Argentina 2-2 France - World Cup 2022
France 4-2 Croatia - World Cup 2018
Germany 0-0 Argentina - World Cup 2014
Spain 0-0 Netherlands - World Cup 2010
Italy 1-1 France - World Cup 2006
What the last five finals tell us
World Cup finals are renowned for being tense, low-scoring games with plenty of nerves. The results show that wasn't the case in each of the last two finals, and in three of the previous five renewals. We hope that trend continues in New York on Sunday.
Stadium trends
I'll now shine the spotlight on World Cup 2026 games played at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford.
Does this venue give up any important clues?
MetLife Stadium has already hosted seven matches, five in the groups and two in the knockout rounds.
Here are those all-important results.
Brazil 1-1 Morocco
Ecuador 2-1 Germany
France 3-1 Senegal
Norway 3-2 Senegal
England 2-0 Panama
France 3-0 Sweden
Norway 2-1 Brazil
What games at MetLife Stadium tell us
Followers of the FIFA World Cup 2026 have already enjoyed some exciting games in East Rutherford. A bet on over 2.5 goals landed in five of seven games. Both teams to score was also a smart bet in five of seven games.
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World Cup form
I'll now show how both teams made it to the 2026 World Cup final in the United States.
Spain's route to the final
Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia
Spain 1-0 Uruguay
Spain 3-0 Austria
Spain 1-0 Portugal
Spain 2-1 Belgium
Spain 2-0 France
Argentina's route to the final
Argentina 3-0 Algeria
Argentina 2-0 Austria
Argentina 3-1 Jordan
Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde
Argentina 3-2 Egypt
Argentina 3-1 Switzerland
Argentina 2-1 England
What both nations' route to the final tells us
Both Spain and Argentina boast strong defences and capable attacks. That's another good indication that we can expect a fair share of goals on Sunday.
Total goals - Over 2.5
Now that I've properly set the scene and we've worked through the most important and relevant stats, I'll settle on my three Spain vs Argentina World Cup 2026 final predictions.
My first suggested bet comes with decent odds attached, meaning you can follow as a single or add to your weekend accumulators or World Cup Bet Builders. Followers need Spain vs Argentina to produce more than two goals from both teams combined.
When taking this approach, it doesn't matter which team wins, how they get the result or who scores. As long as Sunday's final produces more than two goals, the bet wins, and you'll boost your betting balance. A 2-1 win for Argentina pays the same as a 2-2 draw or a 3-0 win for Spain.
Why am I happy to advise over 2.5 goals?
The same bet would've earned you a profit in each of the last four games involving these teams. Included in that run are an emphatic 6-1 win for Spain and a memorable 4-1 win for Argentina. You'll also find a couple of 2-1 wins for Spain in there.
Focusing on the knockout rounds of this tournament, you'll remember that Spain beat Belgium 2-1 and Austria 3-0. They scored one goal against Portugal and put two past France in the semi-finals.
In the same period, we see Argentina beat England 2-1, edged Switzerland 3-1 after extra-time, eliminated Egypt 3-2, and beat Cape Verde by the same scoreline, although they required extra-time in that match.
Based on the numbers from Flashscore, I was able to build a convincing case that Sunday's World Cup final would end with more than two goals scored in regulation time.
Readers can follow this pick and then sit back, enjoy the show, and cheer every attack.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals @ 6/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Spain and Argentina give us more than two goals from both teams combined, you'll celebrate a winner.
To lift the trophy - Argentina
For my second selection, I'm taking Argentina to win the 2026 World Cup.
You can back the current champions to beat Spain inside 90 minutes, and you'll enjoy fair odds. There's another market that offers better protection to our stake, and that's Argentina to lift the trophy.
The main difference between the win market and to lift the trophy market is that the latter covers 90 minutes, extra time, and penalties.
If Argentina scrape a 1-0 win with a late goal, your bet lands. If they get the job done in extra time, you'll also profit. And if the final goes to penalties and Argentina hold their nerve, as they did against France less than four years ago, you'll also snag a payout.
Both nations have impressed at the World Cup, but I feel the holders have used their experience to hit top gear at the perfect time. The team demonstrated their class when banging in 11 goals in four knockout games.
La Seleccion also showed their fighting spirit when winning in extra time against Cape Verde and Switzerland. Let's not forget that they fought back from 2-0 down to beat Egypt and turned a 0-1 scoreline into a 2-1 win against England last time out.
Spain are no pushovers, and appear in the final on merit. However, Argentina look to have all the ingredients of a champion and four-time World Cup winner.
Tip: Argentina to lift the trophy @ 13/10 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You want to see Argentina make it two titles on the bounce, with a win in 90 minutes every bit as sweet as a victory on penalties.
Correct score - Argentina 2-1 Spain
Ok, so my readers know how things work by now.
I love to sign off with a pick at higher odds. As it's the World Cup final, I ensured every selection given had an eye-catching price attached, with over 2.5 goals and Argentina to lift the trophy both the bigger-priced selections of two in each market.
According to the traders working at bet365, under 2.5 goals is more likely, and Spain are the pre-match favourites.
It makes sense to push the boat out in my final prediction of what has been an enjoyable World Cup. I'm picking Argentina to beat Spain by a 2-1 scoreline after 90 minutes of play. Please note that the correct score market covers regulation time only. Goals scored in extra-time or during a penalty shootout don't count towards this bet.
If you do choose to follow, I'd suggest keeping your stakes small, as this isn't an easy wager to land. But the stats offer encouragement.
When reading the H2H scores, you would've noticed that 2-1 was the final score in the first meeting of these nations, the only previous World Cup clash, and in three of six matches. Three of the first four meetings ended 2-1, with the other a 2-0 win for Argentina.
Let's not forget that Argentina beat England 2-1 on Wednesday evening, and Messi got a double in a 2-0 win over Austria. Spain scored one goal against Portugal and Uruguay this summer.
An interesting bet, but one with a solid chance of landing.
Tip: Argentina 2-1 Spain @ 12/1 (bet365)
Bet explanation: The score at the final whistle should read Argentina 2-1 Spain. Any other scoreline makes this bet a loser.
Message from the author
I'd like to sign off by saying good luck with your World Cup 2026 final bets if you follow my selections or decide to go it alone.
We've enjoyed some fantastic winners this summer, and it has been a pleasure to cover such an exciting tournament for the millions of Flashscore readers and users worldwide.
When this match has finished and the dust has settled on World Cup 2026, I'll turn my attention to the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, the start of the Scottish Premiership season, and the return of English Premier League football.
Keep it Flashscore for my professional betting tips, reliable stats, and the latest scores.
World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 48 national teams and will be played in 16 modern stadiums.
Match schedule and times | Draw | England at the World Cup | How to watch the World Cup | Predictions and odds