Five weeks after the start of the biggest soccer tournament in history, the day billions of people around the world have been waiting for is fast approaching: the FIFA World Cup Final.
European champions Spain will face defending World Cup champions Argentina in a historic title showdown.
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For Spain, it is the final stage of their bid to win their second world title, 16 years after their first victory, while Argentina are chasing history as they seek to become the third country to win the World Cup in two consecutive years.
Here are the top 10 things to know ahead of Sunday’s final in New York, USA.
Deja vu: Messi and Yamal reunite after 20 years
Moments after Argentina set up their World Cup final against Spain, social media was once again flooded with the viral photo of young Messi bathing baby Yamal during a TV commercial. Initially, many thought it was an AI-generated image, but it’s actually real, and its origins date back to 2007.
Messi, 20, was filming a fundraiser for UNICEF at his former club Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium when he met then five-month-old Yamal, who was accompanied by his mother Sheila Evana.
Almost 20 years after that day, Messi and Yamal will meet in the 2026 World Cup final in a clash that transcends generations.
“This is just a miracle of fate,” photographer Joan Monfort told BBC Sport.
Will Donald Trump play in the World Cup finals?
yes. The White House announced that US President Donald Trump will attend Sunday’s World Cup finals for the first time. He will jointly award the trophy to the captain of the winning team with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Although Trump did not play in any of the games in the 48-team tournament, he was still involved and caused quite a stir. President Trump personally urged Infantino to review his decision to red card U.S. striker Folarin Balogun.
FIFA then canceled Balogun’s one-game suspension for breaking its own rules and allowed him to play in the quarterfinals, where the United States lost to Belgium. The controversial decision drew criticism and once again put the spotlight on the growing influence of politics on sport.
First, a superstition: Argentina’s President Miley will not be attending the finals.
It is customary for the leaders of the advancing countries to attend the final battle, but Argentina’s President Javier Millay will not be in New Jersey. why? Because of superstition.
Millay decided to watch the match on television from the presidential palace, as he had done in each of Argentina’s seven matches heading into the final. He also plans to wear the same heavy jacket he wears every time.
In Latin America, especially in Argentina, the so-called “Kabbalah”, or ritual beliefs and customs, has an unusual weight and reflects their passion for the national team.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets New York before World Cup final
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires has blanketed much of the northeastern United States, prompting health alerts, but a cold front expected over the weekend will clear the dangerous fog in time for Sunday’s World Cup final in the New York area.
More than 80,000 people are expected to watch the World Cup final at outdoor stadiums in New York and New Jersey, and an additional 50,000 people are expected to watch the match in Manhattan’s Central Park.
New York City began to feel the effects of wildfires this week, with local officials issuing warnings and urging residents to reduce strenuous outdoor activities and take extra breaks if they are outdoors.
On Thursday, air quality in New Jersey, the stadium’s host state, was rated “unhealthy for sensitive groups” by several air quality measurement platforms.
World Cup Final: America’s most expensive sporting event
As of Friday, admission to the Spain-Argentina final was $7,595, according to ticket tracking service TicketData.com. The platform states that the price has increased by 10% in the past three days.
The average purchase price for the finals was $11,327, the highest price in U.S. sports history, surpassing ticket prices for the NFL’s Super Bowl and the NBA Finals, according to data from secondary ticket marketplace TickPick.
NFL style halftime show
For the first time ever, a Super Bowl-inspired halftime show will be held at the Soccer World Cup finals.
Expect fireworks to light up the New York skyline as the pop party begins, headlined by Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Coldplay and more.
The performance is expected to last approximately 11 minutes, with the half-time break potentially extending for up to 30 minutes. Additionally, a closing ceremony will be held 90 minutes before kickoff, featuring appearances by Tom Cruise, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger.
record breaking prize money
In December, FIFA announced a record total prize pool of $727 million for the World Cup, which is a 50 percent increase in funds distributed at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Four months later, the prize money on offer has been further increased, with the world governing body projecting revenue to exceed $11 billion over the current four-year period from 2023 to 2026.
FIFA’s December prize announcement announced that the winner will receive $50 million and the runner-up will receive $33 million. Additionally, each eligible country is entitled to $1.5 million to cover preparation costs.
World Cup trophy arrives in custom Louis Vuitton trunk
As has been the case for the past four finals, football’s biggest prize, the golden World Cup trophy, will be delivered to the venue in a bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk designed by the French luxury fashion house.
The trunk features a golden V representing “Victory” and “Vuitton” on the front, with the brand’s signature monogram pattern and gold-plated brass corner protectors.
Also scheduled to win the Golden Boot Award
Winning teams will have the chance to lift the coveted World Cup trophy, while players will also have a shot at individual glory.
Up to five official trophies will be awarded, including the Golden Boot for the tournament’s top scorer and the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player.
Messi leads the race for the Golden Boot ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé, who will take part in the third-place match the day before the final. Mbappe won the Golden Boot last year and Messi is targeting his first such feat.
The Golden Glove, Young Player and Fair Play are other official awards awarded by the FIFA Technical Research Group.
Referee lineup
The World Cup final will be hosted by Slovenia’s Slavko Vincic, assisted by his compatriots Tomas Kranjnik and Andraz Kovacic.
Jordanian duo Adam Mahadmeh and Mohammad Al-Kharaf will be the fourth official referee and reserve assistant referee respectively.
