EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Showers and thunderstorms triggered a flash flood warning for Manhattan and northeastern New Jersey on Saturday, but the rain also helped blow out the smoke from Canadian wildfires that had choked the tristate area for days and threatened to disrupt Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
Concerns about hazardous air quality led the White House and FIFA to hold informal discussions Friday over the possibility of moving the game, with the most likely venue being Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
On Friday, before the storms, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in East Rutherford was around 160, which was considered unhealthful. But that was down from a “very unhealthful” reading of 245 on Thursday.
By 6 p.m. EDT on Saturday, that level had dropped further, to 89, posing only a moderate health concern for a very small number of people. That number was expected to continue falling into the early hours of Sunday, and the level at kickoff was projected to be 66, although forecasters warned that shifting winds could bring smoke back into the area, causing temporary spikes in the AQI.
The 2026 World Cup final will feature two live performances: one before kickoff and another at half-time.
The match will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, with some of the world’s biggest musicians taking the stage as part of the celebrations.
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Here is what to know:
When is the World Cup 2026 final?
The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will take place on Sunday, July 19.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3pm local time in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which is 19:00 GMT.
The match will be played at MetLife Stadium, home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets. During the tournament, the venue has been temporarily renamed New York-New Jersey Stadium.
The multipurpose stadium can hold up to 82,500 spectators for football matches. It also hosted the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final and both semifinals.
What time does the World Cup closing ceremony start?
The World Cup closing ceremony will begin at 1:30pm local time (17:30 GMT) in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19.
Jennifer Hudson will also perform the United States national anthem before kickoff.
The ceremony will celebrate the 48 teams that competed across the three host countries and 16 host cities during the tournament.
When does the half-time show start?
Unlike the closing ceremony, which takes place before kickoff, the half-time show will be staged during the interval between the first and second halves. With kickoff at 3pm local time (19:00 GMT), it is expected to begin just after 3:45pm local time (19:45 GMT), depending on stoppage time.
The half-time performance is expected to last about 11 minutes, although FIFA has not officially confirmed the length of the interval. Reports suggest the break could be extended beyond the standard 15 minutes to between 20 and 25 minutes to allow time for the stage to be installed and removed.
Under the Laws of the Game set by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), half-time should not exceed 15 minutes. However, competition rules can allow a longer interval with the referee’s approval, and FIFA has not explained how the extended break will be implemented.
Although this will be the first half-time show in a World Cup final, FIFA tested the concept at last year’s Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. That performance took place on a stage above the stands and the interval lasted just over 24 minutes.
Unlike the Club World Cup final, Sunday’s stage will be built directly on the pitch before being removed ahead of the second half. Organisers say it has been designed to be assembled and dismantled within minutes.
Longer half-time breaks are not unusual in major sporting events. Shakira’s performance at the 2024 Copa America final delayed the restart by about 26 minutes.
Chris Martin, J Balvin, Tems, Doja Cat and Emmanuel Kelly perform during the half-time show at the Club World Cup Final [File: Jeenah Moon/Reuters]
Who is performing at the World Cup closing ceremony?
On Wednesday, football’s governing body said American rapper-singer Post Malone will headline the ceremony.
The World Cup closing ceremony will also feature performances by Italian singer Laura Pausini, American singer Nicole Scherzinger, British pop star Robbie Williams and YouTube creator IShowSpeed. Actor Tom Cruise is also set to make a special appearance.
Produced by Balich Wonder Studio, the ceremony is designed to celebrate the tournament’s defining moments and the global appeal of football after a month of competition across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA has said additional performers and special guests will be announced closer to the final.
“Echoing the spirit of the opening ceremonies, which welcomed the world to the greatest stage in Canada, Mexico and the US, the closing ceremony will bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 full circle through music, culture and football, before we kick off the highly anticipated match that will crown the champions of this groundbreaking tournament,” said Heimo Schirgi, chief operating officer.
Who is performing at the half-time show?
Justin Bieber will join Madonna, Shakira and BTS as headliners of Sunday’s halftime show.
They will be joined by Nigerian singer Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and New York’s PS22 Chorus, with the performance curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
The show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100m to expand access to education for children.
“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,” Bieber said in a statement. “I’m grateful to be part of this half-time show, and even more grateful knowing it’s already helping expand access to education for children around the world.”
Burna Boy, who collaborated with Shakira on the tournament’s official song, Dai Dai, said performing at the final was “a privilege and a responsibility” and an opportunity to represent Africa on the global stage.
How can I watch the World Cup final and shows?
In the US, the match will air in English on FOX and in Spanish on Telemundo and Universo, with streaming available through the FOX Sports app, FOX One and Peacock.
In Canada, viewers can watch on CTV and TSN, while audiences in Mexico can tune in through TelevisaUnivision, TV Azteca and ViX.
Across the Middle East and North Africa, the match will be broadcast live on beIN Sports.
Josh Kerr says breaking the men’s mile world record is an “an awesome achievement” but hints he could attempt to set a new mark.
Kerr, 28, beat Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj’s 1999 time, crossing the line in three minutes 42.66 seconds.
The Scot became the seventh British athlete to claim the mile record and first since Steve Cram in 1985. Kerr’s previous best personal best over the mile was a British record of 3:45.34.
“The biggest goal that I had [this year] was going after the world record in the mile,” Kerr told BBC Breakfast. “It was a perfect year for it.
“With the history that the UK have in the mile distance, obviously with Sir Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile back in 1954 and then the slew of incredible British athletes that we had for a long time – [Sebastian] Coe, Cram, [Steve] Ovett – it was just time for me to bring that distance and that record back home to the UK.
“To be able to break that record by nearly half a second was an awesome achievement.
“On another day, with maybe a little bit more favourable wind, I could maybe take another little chunk off it. It’s with us now and if we’re in the fitness for it again, we’ll maybe go after it and take a good more chunk off it.”
‘King [Messi] abdicates, but the prince [Lamine Yamal] takes the throne!’
Spain fans filled the streets of New York with chants and songs ahead of the World Cup final against defending champions Argentina. Spain’s supporters are confident a new generation can bring the trophy home.
He lost nearly a third of his bodyweight and weighed 63kg.
His recovery was such that he felt able to commit to one last fight, although he said it would be a one-off.
And Askren, who had three UFC fights in 2019, stayed true to his word after losing 6-3 to Muhammad.
Askren produced a mainly defensive performance and clearly faded during the third and final period.
“My legs gave out, they wouldn’t carry me any longer,” he said. “For sure it’s my last time on the mat. I couldn’t find a better place to do this.
“I worked hard over the last year. It was tough. There were times I couldn’t feed myself, I couldn’t stand up or go to the bathroom.
“Every day I woke up and thanked God for the chance to do it just one more time. I promised I’m going to make the most of this day. I’m going to treat people well, work my ass off and try to make a difference in the world.”
Muhammad beat British fighter Leon Edwards to win the UFC welterweight title in 2024 and had the last of his 22 UFC fights in June.
The 38-year-old added: “He [Askren] came back from death, this guy’s a legend.
“He’s changing lives. I know, he changed my life. I’m at home ready to quit. I’m tired, I’m sore, all my losses, but I look at Ben still fighting every single day.
“It shows you man, life is precious. Go after it bro.”
Who: Spain vs Argentina What: FIFA World Cup 2026 final Where: New York-New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States When: Sunday at 3pm (19:00 GMT) How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 15:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.
Chaos vs calm. Godfather vs heir. World number one vs world number two.
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As the sun shines on the New York skyline, football’s biggest stage gets ready for its perfect closing act: the FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.
It is a gift for the football purists, a clash of philosophies, if you will – Argentina, the reigning champions who have made a habit of embracing the suffering, and Spain, the European winners who have taught the world a masterclass in control.
On one hand is the unstoppable, almost unnatural force of Lionel Messi – whose movements on the field are no less than spells from a magic wand – and on the other is Lamine Yamal, the teen prodigy whose flair on the field and flamboyant personality off it show signs of a superstar in the making.
So when the confetti falls and the fireworks erupt, will it be Argentina lifting a historic second straight world title, or will the golden generation of Spain bring back joy after 16 years of waiting?
Here’s all to know about the seismic showdown:
Who will win the battle between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi [File: Charly Triballeau and Roberto Schmidt/AFP]
How did Spain and Argentina reach the World Cup final?
Spain topped Group H with seven points, beating Saudi Arabia and Uruguay and drawing with Cape Verde. They began their knockout campaign with a 3-0 thrashing of Austria in the round of 32 before beating Portugal 1-0 with a late goal in an Iberian football derby in the round of 16.
Argentina had a strong showing in the first round, topping Group J by beating Algeria, Austria and Jordan. In the round of 32, they were pushed to their limits before squeezing past Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time, and came from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in a controversial last-16 contest which drew allegations of officiating bias.
Against Switzerland in the quarterfinals, they again played a full 120 minutes before securing a 3-1 win and broke English hearts with a late 2-1 comeback win in a highly charged semifinal encounter.
Marvellous Messi’s Last Dance?
If there were not already enough new records Messi has made in the past month, the 39-year-old diminutive forward is set to add another to his tally – the oldest outfield player to feature in a World Cup final.
It could also be his last.
Leo – as Argentinians commonly call him – has not spoken about his future, but with an illustrious career, headlined by his 2022 World Cup triumph, this year’s tournament seems to be his last, especially if he fulfils a rare back-to-back World Cup title dream.
“He has made history. He is a legend,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said of Messi, one of the greatest players to have graced the football field.
A decade ago, frustrated after a Copa America final loss to Chile, his fourth defeat in a final for Argentina, Messi hung up his boots. The narrative then centred around the fact that despite all his success at the club level, international glory had eluded Messi.
But fast forward to 2026, the Argentina captain has led his team to successive World Cup finals and is bidding for his first Golden Boot – a twist of fate even Messi would not have imagined.
“To have been able to get to a final in the way that he has in this moment, at the age of 39, I think it is incredible,” Scaloni added. “That is why I said we should enjoy having him, because look at what happened with Diego [Maradona] and how we ended up missing him.
“We still have Leo, and we should appreciate that. He is the historic figure and the legend, as are all these players who have given us these marvellous years.”
The little magician from Rosario will lead Argentina’s charge on Sunday, as La Albiceleste aim to become just the third team in the tournament’s history to retain the World Cup after Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962).
Slick Spain out to silence Argentina
Unlike Argentina, whose game largely depends on the individual brilliance of Messi, Spain are a team built solidly on the collective.
La Roja love to keep the ball and suppress the attacking potential of any opponent.
Their organised, sturdy defence has kept six clean sheets, already the most by any side at a single World Cup tournament, and leaked just one goal en route to the final.
On Sunday, Spain will carry more hunger than fear against Argentina, “the team to beat”, as described by captain Rodri.
“We’ve been through a gradual process of growth, where we’ve seen a team mature over the last few years,” Rodri said. “This team and this generation were going to make a name for themselves … and now reaching the final of a World Cup.
“So we’re pleased with the journey the team has taken, but we’re not stopping there; our ambition goes much further.”
Left to right, Spain’s Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal are key players of their attack [File: Jessie Alcheh/Imagn Images via Reuters]
The bookmakers’ favourite from the beginning, Spain have played like a side that knows best how to deal with pressure. They produced the performance of the tournament in their stunning semifinal defeat of France, silencing Les Blues’ valiant attack.
Rodri said while that display was “one of the best” the current Spanish side had ever produced, they would need to scale new heights to defeat Argentina and clinch their first world title since 2010.
“I think we have to raise the level because they are the champions. And I’m really confident that we can do [it],” he added.
Spain vs Argentina predictions
The Opta supercomputer views Spain as the favourites in the final, with a 45 percent probability of winning in 90 minutes. It predicts a 26 percent probability of Argentina winning in regulation time, while there is a 29 percent probability of the match going to extra time or penalties.
Overall, Spain have a 59.56 percent chance of winning the 2026 World Cup, while Argentina have a 40.44 percent probability of retaining the title they won in Qatar four years ago.
Who are the referees for Spain vs Argentina?
Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Assistant referee 1: Tomasz Klancnik (Slovenia)
Assistant referee 2: Andraz Kovacic (Slovenia)
Fourth official: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)
Reserve assistant referee: Mohammad Alkalaf (Jordan)
Spain vs Argentina: Kickoff time, where to watch
Spain: DAZN Mundial (9pm, Central European Summer Time)
Argentina: TyC Sports, TyC Play (4pm, Argentina Standard Time)
United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer, STV, STV Player, ITV1, ITVX, Red Button 1 (8pm, British Summer Time)
US: Fox, Fox One, Peacock, Telemundo App and Network, Universo, Telexitos (3pm, Eastern Daylight Time)
To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.
Where is Spain vs Argentina being played?
The World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium, home to two National Football League (NFL) teams: the New York Giants and the New York Jets. For the FIFA World Cup, the venue has temporarily been rebadged as New York-New Jersey Stadium.
Built in 2010, this huge multipurpose stadium holds up to 82,500 spectators for football matches. The venue also hosted the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final and both semifinals.
The last World Cup match at the MetLife Stadium was a round-of-16 match that Norway won 2-1 against Brazil [File: Omar Aziz/Reuters]
What is the weather forecast and air quality for New Jersey?
AccuWeather predicts mostly sunny and less humid weather for Sunday in New Jersey.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed much of the northeastern US, triggering health alerts. On Thursday, the air quality in New Jersey was rated “unhealthy for sensitive groups” by several air quality measurement platforms.
But for Sunday, the US government’s official air quality monitoring site, airnow.gov, expects the air quality index (AQI) to be “moderate”.
Spain vs Argentina: Head-to-head
This will be only the second World Cup meeting between Spain and Argentina, with Argentina winning 2-1 in the group stages in 1966.
Tarik Skubal pitched seven dominant innings, Spencer Torkelson homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Detroit Tigers cruised to a 7-0 win over the Angels on Saturday night.
Skubal, winner of the past two AL Cy Young Awards, gave up five hits and struck out nine without issuing a walk. He induced 19 swinging strikes for the third straight start. Of his 87 pitches, 60 were strikes.
The Angels (38-61) advanced only one runner to second base against the left-hander when Logan O’Hoppe and Mike Trout singled with one out in the sixth, but Skubal (6-5) got Vaughn Grissom to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Tigers (46-52) have won 11 of 14 games and are 24-14 since June 1 to move within 5½ games of the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central and 3½ games of Boston for the third AL wild card. Detroit was 22-38 and 11½ games back in the division on May 31.
It took only five batters for the Tigers to build a 4-0 lead. Kevin McGonigle opened the game with a double, Dillon Dingler was hit by a pitch, Colt Keith hit an RBI single and Torkelson crushed a three-run homer to left-center with one out.
Detroit tacked on two runs in the second after loading the bases with no outs on singles by James Outman and McGonigle and another Dingler hit by pitch, his third in two games. Keith and Riley Greene followed with sacrifice flies for a 6-0 lead.
Torkelson led the fifth with 18th homer, a 420-foot shot to center off left-hander Brent Suter for a 7-0 lead. That gave the Tigers first baseman his first multihomer game since Sept. 7, 2023, at Yankee Stadium.
Grayson Rodriguez (3-3) lasted only four innings, giving up six runs and seven hits in a shaky start that sent the last-place Angels to their fourth straight loss and 12th in 14 games.
Up next: Tigers RHP Casey Mize (4-6, 2.79 ERA) opposes RHP Ryan Johnson (1-4, 6.75) in Sunday’s series finale.
In addition to their four yellow cards, England gave away 14 penalties to Argentina’s six, taking their tally for the Nations Championship to 34 conceded in three matches.
Former England wing Chris Ashton believes this pattern of ill-discipline is a weakness opposition teams will look to exploit.
“If you are playing against England, you know they are going to give penalties away and make some stupid errors that result in them losing games,” Ashton told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.
It’s a problem that’s not lost on the players, with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who scored England’s fifth try and lit up the match with his jinking runs, identifying it as something for the team to work on.
“Discipline is a huge thing,” he said. “I don’t know how many cards there were but too many. We can’t be having games where we finish with 13 [players].”
Borthwick was eager to focus on his team’s “incredible spirit” as they hung on to win.
“It’s almost unfair to pull out one example but Henry Slade’s tackle at the end was incredible,” he said.
“It shows the fight that’s in this group of players, as well as their togetherness and connection.
“Right now these players deserve a fantastic holiday, a good night out tonight and a good rest.
“They’ve worked hard and it’s been a season that’s been going a while.
“We all know about the number of minutes the English players play and these guys have stuck to it right to the very end.”
Meanwhile, Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi accused England of showing a “lack of respect” during his post-match news conference.
Contepomi took exception to the music and cheering that could be heard coming from England’s changing room next door.
Having asked the England representative present in the room to stop the noise, Contepomi lost patience when it did not, and walked out of the room.
Maiara Niehues scored for the fifth straight game and Sveindís Jonsdottir added a late goal to lead Angel City (7-6-1) to its third straight win, 2-0 over the Chicago Stars on Saturday.
Niehues scored on a penalty kick in the 56th minute after a video review determined Ary Borges was fouled in the box.
Jonsdottir scored on a breakaway in stoppage time.
Since taking over as interim coach, Leif Smerud has led Angel City to three straight 2-0 wins, the first time the club has had three consecutive shutout wins.
Spain international Leila Ouahabi made her debut for the Stars (4-11-0).
The Real Madrid midfielder was level with both Gary Lineker – who scored six times at Mexico ’86 – and team-mate Harry Kane, who netted six in Russia in 2018 and at this tournament.
Bellingham, 23, was brought on in the 79th minute and scored with the final kick of the game, leading a counter-attack from the halfway line to the France box before beating a defender and slotting into the bottom corner.
“He has such confidence in his own ability,” former England midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC One during the match. “The patience, the skill, the shot. What a goal from England’s best player.”
Twelve minutes earlier he had looked set to take a penalty but instead handed the ball to Bukayo Saka who converted to seal his hat-trick.
After the match, Saka told BBC One: “No, Jude [Bellingham] was never taking it. He was the first one to say go and get your hat-trick, so none of them came to distract me. I was always going to take it.”
DEL MAR — Umberto Rispoli waited nearly 11 months to ride Journalism again and then, well, let track announcer Larry Collmus describe it:
“They’re off in the San Diego Handicap and Journalism brushed the gate just as it opened, and he’s left behind the field. Journalism has been left behind about five lengths. … A disastrous start for the big favorite Journalism.”
“I won’t tell you the swear (word) that I throw out there,” Rispoli said.
“It just kind of took the starch out of everything,” said Aron Wellman, managing partner of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, co-owner of the 4-year-old colt.
Fortunately for Rispoli, Wellman and anyone else associated with Journalism, including the fans who bet him down to 1-5 odds Saturday at Del Mar Racetrack, this story ended much happier than it began.
Rispoli patiently guided Journalism back into close contact with the other four horses in the 1 1/16-mile race, swung him outside entering the stretch and the son of Curlin cruised to a victory — his first since the same Saturday a year ago in the Haskell at Monmouth Park.
In the ensuing 12 months, Journalism started four times and finished between second and fourth each time. He didn’t run poorly in any of the races; in fact, of the seven horses who beat him, five were Breeders’ Cup winners and a sixth won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont.
But when your resume includes not only the Haskell but also the Santa Anita Derby and Preakness, sometimes close isn’t good enough.
“Frustrating for sure,” Wellman said earlier in the week.
The San Diego presented the weakest field Journalism had faced since at least the 2025 Preakness, and his task seemed to get easier when Full Serrano, the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner here in 2024, was withdrawn Saturday morning because of recurring foot issues.
But as Rispoli noted, “You can’t go in a race and think of course he’s (1-5). You have to respect everybody in the field. Because you see, everything can happen in horse racing.”
Including your horse starting to move forward just before the gate opens, then hitting the side of the stall and spotting the field several lengths.
“I was concerned [with] the bad start, obviously,” Rispoli said. “But it wasn’t the first time I was in that situation. I know what I have underneath myself. I know what’s he’s capable of.”
The official margin was three-quarters of a length over the Cal-bred Shea Brennan, who was the longest shot in the short field at 23-1. Iron Man Cal, like the runner-up trained by Phil D’Amato, was third, with The Goat fourth and pacesetting Mirahmadi fading to last.
The final time was 1:42.65 and Journalism, who paid $2.40 for his seventh win in 14 starts, earned $180,000 to push his career total to $4.77 million.
“Umberto did a good job of getting him to recover and his class won out,” winning trainer Michael McCarthy said.
And, given what Rispoli has been through, maybe Saturday was supposed to be difficult. The Italian jockey only recently resumed riding a few weeks ago after missing five months beacuse of a fall in January at Gulfstream Park. He sustained a fractured right fibula and tibia as well as a displaced ankle and torn ligaments.
“I was in severe pain,” Rispoli said of his rehab, which included time spent at a specialist in Spain. “The first two weeks [in Spain], I said to myself, this is gonna be hard to do it. You know, I’m almost 38, first time a very hard accident happened to me. It was really bad.
“But this is what gave me the strength, horse racing. And I know I have a job incomplete … so I have to come back for this guy.”
England have to find the management and mentality to somehow take themselves somewhere they have never been since 1966.
Tuchel built a side in a Premier League image with lots of physicality and moulded around their two world-class players – Bellingham and Kane.
As yet, however, there is no clear idea or pattern of how they can reshape quickly ahead of Euro 2028 and actually win a tournament.
And, of course, they will face France and Spain at those Euros.
Tuchel needs to find a way to make England more potent and resilient, less one-dimensional, and he will be able to draft in the emerging, brilliant talents of Liverpool’s 17-year-old forward Rio Ngumoah and Arsenal’s Max Dowman, only 16.
The head coach did appear to let the handbrake off against France on Saturday (admittedly in a game with little pressure) and his rejigged side proved they can dazzle in attack with their six-goal display.
Nevertheless, clouds still hang over how England solve this puzzle after another failure – and the pressure is on Tuchel to come up with the answers.
Ezri Konsa: The Aston Villa defender featured in every game and continued to show he has the quality for international football. A starting centre-back and also played at right-back in the win over Norway in the quarter-finals. He ended the tournament with a goal in the third-place play-off. 7
John Stones: It was considered a gamble by Thomas Tuchel to take Stones considering his fitness issues. He started the first game, had some shaky moments and dropped out for the next couple. But he regrouped and started the quarter-final win over Norway and semi-final defeat by Argentina. The 32-year-old showed his quality but was caught under the ball for Lautaro Martinez’s winner. 7
Marc Guehi: A staple of the England backline at major tournaments. Guehi did not start the opening game against Croatia but when he came in he showed his usual calmness and quality. Guehi put in an excellent performance against Manchester City team-mate Erling Haaland in the quarter-final against Norway and performed well until England went out. 8
Trevoh Chalobah: The Chelsea defender was called up as a replacement for Tino Livramento. It was a decision that prompted a lot of debate as it was felt it left England short in the full-back areas.Chalobah was brought on in the closing stages of the win over France for his only minutes of the tournament. 5
Jarell Quansah: This was Quansah’s first major tournament and he was arguably a surprise pick in the 26-man squad. But the Bayer Leverkusen defender did show why Tuchel was so keen to have him as a full-back option. Quansah started well against Panama before getting injured, then did likewise against Mexico before he was sent off. He returned for the third-place play-off, and has a bright international future. 6
Dan Burn: The Newcastle defender’s inclusion was the subject of much debate but his performance against Mexico underlined the reasoning. Burn’s aerial prowess gave England a way to see out games, though Tuchel turned to that tactic too early when trying to see out a win against Argentina. 6.5
Nico O’Reilly: This was the 21-year-old’s first tournament and he grew into it after a nervy opening match. O’Reilly only became England’s first-choice left-back in November, and to go from that to a World Cup and start five of the eight matches is very impressive. O’Reilly is very good on the ball but could improve defensively. 6.5
Reece James: The Chelsea captain said it was “boring” when people discussed his fitness, but the first-choice right-back missed three games after sustaining a hamstring injury against Ghana. He recovered to play in the quarter-final and semi-final, and showed his quality. 6.5
Djed Spence: The Tottenham full-back was one of England’s breakout players of the tournament. Spence’s ability to play at both left-back and right-back is extremely valuable in tournament football. He is a very good one-v-one defender and his pace gives an outlet to the team. He produced two of his best performances in the quarter-final and semi-final. Spence also played well against France, winning a penalty. 8
In order to afford a last-minute ticket to the World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium — widely billed as the single most expensive sporting event ever played in the United States — you might have to be a millionaire, as the cost for a coveted seat at the venue crossed the $2m mark less than 24 hours before kickoff.
As Lionel Messi’s Argentina face Spain and their teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, ticket prices have soared on the resale market.
By Friday, nearly all tickets appeared to be sold, with a few listed on FIFA’s sales platform at about $32,000 apiece.
On Saturday, there were no last-minute tickets available on the site. However, FIFA’s resale platform had tickets available from a little less than $10,000 to as high as $2.3m.
The final caps a World Cup where fans were willing to shell out more than ever for a seat at the quadrennial showpiece, as ticket buyers confounded even the greatest cynics in the face of sky-high prices.
It is a fitting end to a tournament that has tested the limits of what fans will spend, with FIFA’s gamble paying off after concerns over visa restrictions and domestic unrest in the US.
“What FIFA did a very good job of was determining what demand would be because people [were] paying these absurd prices for just about all the 104 matches,” said Scott Friedman, a ticketing expert who previously worked for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“A year ago, we didn’t think people would be travelling with Trump’s ICE stuff and all this other conspiracy stuff. But it’s the most popular tournament in the world by far globally, and FIFA, to their credit, they set the prices high, and people ended up paying them.”
According to the Reuters news agency, an analysis of FIFA attendance data found that more than half the 72 group matches were attended to capacity, with most others only a few hundred fans short of a full house. About 99.7 percent of available seats were filled during the preliminary stage matches, FIFA said.
The data erased early concerns that FIFA’s infamously steep prices would put off fans, after swaths of empty seats were seen around the Guadalajara Stadium for the June 11 match between South Korea and Czechia.
Higher prices, higher demand
As the tournament expanded to its largest-ever field, however, with 48 teams involved, so too did interest among fans.
Prices were set initially at $575 a ticket for group games — more than double the most expensive group ticket available during the 2022 tournament — but FIFA’s dynamic pricing system meant that many ticket holders paid far more.
Hundreds of tickets were still available for the final on Wednesday, priced at little more than $7,000 on FIFA’s platform, a surprising fact that prompted speculation over whether FIFA had finally gone too far with its prices.
But the batch of seats available was likely the result of a process known as “slow ticketing”, Friedman explained, a common practice in mega-events in which organisers restrict inventory to motivate buyers.
“They can act like they already sold their seats and kind of just dribble them in accordingly to obviously increase market demand,” said Friedman, who runs the Ticket Talk Network, dedicated to exploring how seats for sports mega-events are bought and sold.
“Like, ‘Oh, there’s only so-and-so amount of tickets left available in the section, I better buy now,’”
A screenshot of the seat map showing available tickets to the World Cup final on the FIFA Marketplace.
‘No one really knows how this works’
An opaque “dynamic pricing” process has also proven a boon for FIFA, as the sport continues its uneasy evolution from a working-class game to a pastime of the wealthy.
FIFA introduced dynamic pricing for the first time at this tournament, allowing ticket prices to fluctuate based on real-time demand and other factors.
“One reason for the frustration over the last few months is that no one really knows how this works,” said Adam Elmachtoub, an associate professor of industrial engineering and operations research at Columbia University.
“People are willing to accept dynamic pricing — we deal with it for airfare, we deal with it even [for] buying clothes — but I think when it’s such a high-profile event, transparency will help a lot.”
FIFA introduced a small number of lower-cost tickets in response to backlash over prices, as politicians including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani lobbied for locals to have access to affordable seats.
A high-quality tournament also spurred demand, with the four top-ranked nations in the semifinals for the first time since rankings were introduced, and Sunday’s final will feature the 39-year-old Messi in what is probably his final World Cup match.
“The notion of what is fair pricing here is complex because entertainment is not like a necessity,” said Elmachtoub.
Fan appetite holds up
Lax rules around the resale market in the US have only served to accelerate the pocket-emptying around the tournament, with second-hand ticket sellers largely empowered to set their own prices.
The rules in the US stand in contrast to cohosts Mexico, where resellers are prohibited from listing their tickets above what they spent — and much of the rest of the world.
A flood of final-week listings brought prices down on resale platform SeatGeek, with the average ticket for the final listed for more than $11,000 as of Friday. Still, that figure easily made the final the most expensive event that the platform had sold, 8 percent above the 2024 Super Bowl, SeatGeek said.
“What we’re seeing with this year’s World Cup is that demand fluctuates with every round and every match-up reveal,” said Chris Leyden, senior director for marketing at SeatGeek.
“The appetite for this tournament has held up remarkably well from the group stage through the knockouts.”
An Argentina fan holds a sign for a match ticket in Kansas City before his team’s quarterfinal against Switzerland [Lee Smith/Reuters]
World Cup for ‘a happy few’
Human rights experts warned, however, that the tournament remained out of reach for far too many fans.
At what FIFA President Gianni Infantino had promised would be the most inclusive World Cup, supporters from multiple countries were unable to obtain visas, according to the Sport & Rights Alliance.
“It’s been a World Cup for a happy few,” Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, told reporters.
“Those in Europe, Norwegians, Scottish, who have enough purchasing power to travel to the US, don’t need a visa to enter the country and can afford the extortionate ticket prices.”
Kylian Mbappe scores twice for France to hit World Cup record but England win 6-4 in third-place playoff final.
Published On 18 Jul 202618 Jul 2026
England beat France 6-4 in a chaotic World Cup third-place playoff as Kylian Mbappe became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
Both teams had higher aspirations at the 2026 tournament but suffered painful semifinal exits – France were outplayed by Spain while England suffered a late collapse against Argentina.
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Both coaches made multiple changes for Saturday’s match in the oppressive heat of Miami, with a host of stars on the bench at the start.
England boss Thomas Tuchel left out Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham from his starting lineup while Deschamps, stepping down after 14 years at the helm, omitted Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice put England ahead with a goal from distance in the third minute and Ezri Konsa headed home to make it 2-0.
Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise were a threat as France searched for a way back into the game, but they found England’s second-choice goalkeeper Dean Henderson in top form.
The game threatened to become embarrassing for France when Bukayo Saka made it 3-0 after a swift break.
And it was 4-0 in first-half stoppage time when Saka scored his second goal of the game, celebrated with a fist pump by Tuchel.
France coach Didier Deschamps told French TV channel M6 that the first-half display had been “catastrophic”, urging his men to show pride.
He made four changes, bringing on Dembele, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne and Barcola and was rewarded almost instantly when Mbappe scored his ninth goal of the tournament to move clear of Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings.
The game had now totally changed complexion, and Barcola pulled another goal back, with Deschamps clenching his fist on the bench.
Mbappe then netted his second of the game to become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 22 goals – slotting home from Olise’s pass.
That put him two ahead of Messi in the race to finish as top scorer at the 2026 tournament.
France squandered a number of chances to equalise, and England were handed a chance to extend their lead when Malo Gusto brought down Djed Spence in the penalty area.
Saka stepped up to the spot and converted to complete his hat-trick.
There was still time for Dembele to grab a fourth for France, but Bellingham then strode forward to score the 10th goal of the match with an individual effort.
In doing so, Bellingham became the first England player to score seven goals at a World Cup.
By finishing third, England secured their best result at a World Cup since winning the tournament in 1966, though they will carry bitter memories of their defeat by defending champions Argentina.
Deschamps led France to World Cup glory in 2018 and finished as runners-up four years ago.
Les Bleus were favourites to win the 2026 tournament after a sensational start but were well beaten 2-0 by Spain in the semifinals.
Three-time champions Argentina face European champions Spain in the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday.
England assistant coach Anthony Berry tells BBC Sport how proud he is of his squad as they lead France 4-0 at half-time in the 2026 World Cup third-place play-off at the Miami Stadium.
NEW YORK — The Dodgers’ game against the New York Yankees on Saturday in the Bronx was rained out and rescheduled as the first game in a split doubleheader Sunday.
It was the Dodgers’ first postponement of the season.
They are set to play Game 1 at 9:35 a.m. PDT Sunday, followed by Game 2 at 4:20 p.m.
Saturday’s game was originally scheduled to air on Fox at 5:08 p.m. PDT. But with persistent showers in the forecast, the decision to postpone was made official more than three hours before game time.
Dodgers right-hander Emmett Sheehan (4-6, 4.81 ERA) was scheduled to take the mound opposite Yankees lefty Ryan Weathers on Saturday. The Dodgers didn’t immediately announce how the doubleheader might affect their starting pitching plans.
While Latin Americans have traditionally rallied behind football teams from the region who advance deep into the FIFA World Cup, a flood of memes, jokes and criticism has made it clear there is one exception: Argentina.
In one photoshopped image that went viral, Lamine Yamal — who stars for Argentina’s final opponents Spain — is wearing a Brazilian jersey. The snarky caption? “The hope of the Brazilian people.”
The fervour goes beyond the historic rivalry between Pele’s Brazil and Diego Maradona’s Argentina: Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and others are all hoping Lionel Messi’s Albiceleste bite the dust on Sunday.
A similar phenomenon occurred before Argentina won their third World Cup title in Qatar in 2022.
Colombian sociologist German Gomez believes the “dynamic of solidarity … has been broken” with Argentina.
He said the digital era and social networks have fuelled “narratives” that the team is a darling of FIFA and Gianni Infantino, president of football’s world governing body.
“Argentina has had help from referees,” said Francisco Santos, a Brazilian fan trading World Cup stickers at a shopping centre in Sao Paulo, where cheers rang out when England scored first against Argentina in the semifinal.
If Brazil could not become six-time champions, “I would rather see Spain become two-time champions than Argentina become four-time champions,” the 42-year-old said.
Critics say Argentina have received more favourable calls such as penalties and yellow or red cards against opponents, even when such decisions have been backed by FIFA and experts.
“We’re going to cheer for Spain,” said Juan Camilo Abusaid, a 28-year-old finance worker in Bogota, Colombia’s capital.
‘Very political’
Antonio Lopez, 51, a police officer in Mexico City, described Messi as a “legend”.
But he added: “If you’re going to sweat and break your back on the pitch to become champions twice, I accept that. If referees are going to help you, I don’t”.
At a media conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum jokingly asked journalists which team they were supporting in the final.
“Spain! Spain!” they replied.
For Mexican anthropology professor Jorge Negroe, a specialist in social studies of sport, “this World Cup has proven to be very political”.
Colombian sociologist Gomez added that while Maradona was seen as a revolutionary who confronted FIFA’s power, current narratives perceive Messi as FIFA’s “golden boy”.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi receives the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
National politics has also created resentment.
“I really don’t like Javier Milei (Argentina’s president) at all!” said Rachid Sjoberg, a 29-year-old agricultural laboratory operator in Santiago.
“The idea that he would then boast about having won the World Cup if they win does not sit well with me.”
Argentine fans and some players have also faced accusations of racism — such as a chant sung by the team in the past mocking the black players in the French team as not being really French.
There is also a long history of club-level fans throwing bananas on the field or making monkey gestures at Brazilian fans or black players.
During this World Cup, FIFA condemned racism in a statement after an Argentinian supporter told a black US influencer known as IShowSpeed to go “cry at the zoo” during a livestream.
‘We are unbearable’
Messi himself has acknowledged the strong feelings surrounding whether the team wins or loses.
“Four years ago, we achieved what we wanted: to play the final and be the best for four years. Once again, we have shown that nobody gives us anything for free, and we have put ourselves among the two best again,” he said.
“Let it hurt whoever it hurts.”
A brand of fernet, an alcoholic drink which is hugely popular in Argentina, has taken advantage of the anti-Argentine sentiment with humour.
Under the slogan “We are unbearable,” it launched an advert showing fans from different teams sitting in a therapy circle complaining about Argentina’s unbridled passion for football.
While many in Latin America are rooting against Argentina, the team has received a rapturous response at training camps in the US, with fans chanting “Messi! Messi!”
But some still embrace regional solidarity.
“I’m going to support Argentina because it’s a South American country,” said Valentino Tocto, a 20-year-old student in Lima.
Argentina wore replicas of the country’s 1986 Fifa World Cup kit for their match against England at rugby union’s Nations Championship.
Argentina wore the dark blue kit during their 2-1 quarter-final victory over England at the tournament– which they later won –in a match made famous by Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal, before he scored a brilliant second.
Argentina’s rugby side, known as the Pumas, usually wear the country’s traditional white and light blue striped sporting kit.
“Memories that span generations and remain alive in the collective memory. Today that legacy dresses up again,” Los Pumas posted on X.
The sporting rivalry between the two countries was fuelled last week as Argentina came from behind in dramatic fashion to beat the Three Lions 2-1 and reach the 2026 World Cup final.
Following the match, Argentina players held up a banner reading ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’, which translates as ‘The Falklands are Argentine’.
Fifa is deciding whether to punish Argentina for the banner that references the Falkland Islands – a British overseas territory in the south west Atlantic Ocean that remains the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the UK and Argentina.
Before the Nations Championship match against Argentina, England switched hotels in Buenos Aires to avoid their return home being wrecked by World Cup celebrations should Argentina’s football team beat Spain in Sunday’s final.
The Nations Championship match is taking place at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero, with Steve Borthwick’s side aiming for their sixth successive win over Argentina.
Last weekend, England thrashed Fiji 73-8 to end a five-match losing run while Argentina beat Wales 35-21 last weekend after losing 47-38 to Scotland in their Nations opener.
With the World Cup final less than 24 hours away, an unlikely factor is grabbing the attention of organisers, fans and players alike.
The lingering smoke from the Canadian wildfires sparked earlier this week has engulfed the northeastern region of the United States, raising questions about its impact on the Spain vs Argentina final in New Jersey on Sunday.
A visible haze hung over the twin World Cup host states of New York and New Jersey on Saturday, with inclement weather causing disruptions.
At one point on Friday, New York rated as the city with the worst air quality in the world.
The World Cup final between the European champions and current title holders kicks off at 3pm local time (19:00 GMT) on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Here’s what we know about the smoke, weather and World Cup final:
Is there a haze in New York and New Jersey before the World Cup final?
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires is hanging over the region, reducing visibility and affecting air quality in most northeastern US states.
Warnings of unhealthy air quality remained in effect across a wide area of the US east coast on Saturday.
However, experts predict conditions will improve for the big showdown in New Jersey tomorrow.
The air quality index forecast shows an improvement from unhealthy air to “moderate” air quality for sensitive groups from Saturday to Sunday in East Rutherford, which means little to no health risk for the general public on the day of the final.
How is the weather and what’s the forecast in New Jersey before the Spain vs Argentina final?
A thunderstorm passed through the area on Saturday afternoon, causing heavy rain and loud thunder at the New York New Jersey Stadium, renamed from MetLife Stadium.
State police urged people to leave the stadium seating bowl and field and take shelter. Volunteers and staff dashed inside for cover as ponchos were handed out. The sky was the same thick, soupy grey it had been for days.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill warned residents about the potential for damaging winds, tornadoes, flash flooding and large hailstones.
FIFA said it was in close contact with local authorities as it continues to monitor the impacts from the wildfire smoke and the storms on the stadium conditions for the final.
Have the weather and smoke disrupted preparations for Spain or Argentina?
Spain’s last training session ahead of the final at a nearby Melanie Lane Training Ground was suspended because of storms and lightning in the area.
The Spanish football federation (RFEF) said that was in accordance with US storm safety protocol.
“The players are currently taking part in a warm-up session indoors,” RFEF added.
FIFA said that there would not be another time slot for the team to train.
Argentina had an outdoor training session at their scheduled time of 1:30pm (17:30 GMT), with players showing no concerns about air quality or the weather.
Lionel Messi and the Argentina squad unaffected by the weather on the eve of the World Cup final, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Will the wildfire smoke affect the World Cup final?
The haze will mostly clear from New Jersey just in time for the final, thanks to thunderstorms passing through the area, meteorologists say.
“This storm front will largely move the smoke out of the northeast before the final between Spain and Argentina,” said Tyler Roys, a senior meteorologist at online weather service AccuWeather.
“There could be some lingering smoke that would make things hazy, but very faint,” Roys said. “In terms of the thickest smoke, the smoke that has really been eye-popping and leads to poor air quality, that is not expected across New York City or much of the northeast.”
Jeff Berardelli, chief meteorologist and climate specialist at WFLA-TV, echoed the forecast, saying the storm front would “sweep the atmosphere clean”, leaving only a thin smoke that World Cup spectators may still smell in the air.
“It won’t be dangerous anymore,” Berardelli said. “It’s going to be dramatically better.”
Temperatures are forecast to be around 27C (80F) with light breezes and low humidity for kick off.
“You couldn’t have asked for much better weather for the World Cup,” Berardelli added.
Both experts expect the heavier smoke on Sunday to be concentrated closer to the fires, hanging over parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes region.
Berardelli said they are burning longer and faster because of climate change.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The list of men who have won a World Cup final is less than 500 names long, making it among the most exclusive in sports.
Jurgen Klinsmann’s name is on that list. And if he had known what a special club he would join when he stepped on the pitch for the 1990 final, he might have taken more time to enjoy it.
“How big that actually was, you only realize when when you start traveling the world and you get basically approached everywhere in the world about those moments,” Klinsmann said Friday. “It’s pretty crazy.”
Several new names will be added to that list Sunday, when Spain and Argentina meet at MetLife Stadium to decide the winner of the largest, most complex World Cup in history. A record 48 teams started the tournament 39 days and 103 games ago. Now just two remain: Spain, the reigning European champion, a team that hasn’t lost in 37 games and 27 months, and top-ranked Argentina, the reigning World Cup champion seeking to become the first team to repeat in 64 years.
Argentina leads the tournament in goals with 19, 12 of them coming in the 75th minute or later. In all four of Argentina’s wins in the knockout stages, the go-ahead goal came in stoppage time or extra time. Its captain, Lionel Messi, finished the semifinals leading the tournament with contributions on 12 goals — eight goals and four assists. He‘s also the all-time World Cup leader in goals, assists and games played and seems a shoo-in for a third Golden Ball, which goes to the tournament’s best player. No one else has won that award more than once.
But if Argentina is the unstoppable force, Spain is the immovable object. It has given up just one goal in the tournament with its goalie, Unai Simón, pitching shutouts in seven of his last eight World Cup games, dating to 2022. Slowing Messi won’t be up to Simón alone, however. Midfielder Rodri, Spain’s captain and the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner as the best player in the world, is the team’s defensive anchor. He said the best way to try to control Messi is to keep him out of the box — although Messi’s two decisive assists in Argentina’s semifinal comeback against England came from outside the penalty area.
And while Klinsmann’s one-and-done experience in a World Cup final is typical of most players, Messi, 39, is the exception: When the whistle blows Sunday, he’ll become just the second player, after Brazil’s Cafu, to play in three World Cup finals. When he made his World Cup debut in 2006, two starters on Spain’s team — center back Pau Cubarsí and winger Lamine Yamal — had yet to be born.
East Rutherford was hit with heavy thunderstorms Saturday, which helped knock down the hazardous smoke from Canadian wildfires that had blanketed the tri-state area for days. The poor air quality, which is dangerous for both players and fans, led FIFA and the White House to hold informal discussions over moving the World Cup final.
So while the air won’t be clear Sunday, the greatest risk appears to have passed and the threat of rain or lightning interrupting the game has also decreased, with the forecast calling for temperatures in the mid- 80s and 55% humidity at kickoff.
President Trump is expected to attend the game, after which he will present the World Cup trophy to the victor. And Klinsmann’s advice to the players who will walk across that stage to get their winners’ medals is to savor every moment because they might not come again.
Jurgen Klinsmann, a World Cup champion with West Germany and the former U.S. men’s national team coach, understands players often forget to savor the moment of playing in soccer’s biggest game.
(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
“Take it all in to and really enjoy every second of it,” he said. “Make it special. Don’t miss out on anything.”
Klinsmann was 25 and less than three years into his international career when he helped West Germany win the World Cup in 1990. So naturally he figured there would be more to come.
“I said, ‘Well, if this is so cool to win a title, then I want to win more titles,” he said. “The magnitude of it, I did not understand.”
In two more tournaments as a player, he never got past the quarterfinals and in two World Cups as a manager he made the semifinals once. Never again would he hold the most cherished trophy in sports, though his 11 World Cup goals are tied for ninth all-time, tied with Cristiano Ronaldo and one behind Pelé.
Mario Gotze scored only two goals in his World Cup career but the last one will never be forgotten. In the 88th minute of the 2014 final against Argentina, just before sending Gotze on as a sub, German manager Joachim Löw called Gotze over and said, “Show the world you are better than Messi and can decide the World Cup.”
With seven minutes left in extra time he did just that, chesting down a cross, then lobbing a volley into the net for the game’s only score, giving Germany its first title since Klinsmann’s team in 1990. It was a moment Gotze, then 22, had long dreamed of and one he had rehearsed as a kid.
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon, shaking hands with France’s Kylian Mbappe after the World Cup semifinal, has given up only one goal in the tournament.
(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
Yet it was also one he was not prepared for.
“That was a dream come true. But you can’t prepare for these kind of moments,” he said. “I get reminded about that goal and even speaking nowadays with people in Germany, and they say, ‘I still remember where I [was] in that moment.’ That’s very special. You have that connection to a lot of different people. I’m very happy about that.
“When I look back now, OK, I was there. I played 30 minutes of football in a World Cup final and I scored one goal. That impact is huge and to even be in that moment is rare.”
So rare Gotze never held the World Cup trophy again either. As a result he, like Klinsmann, would urge the players in Sunday’s game to drink in the memories, because win or lose, if your name isn’t Messi the odds are great you’ll never be back.
“You can’t describe the feelings because everything happens so fast,” he said. “You’re in the zone, you do a lot of things out of instinct, especially on the pitch. And then, at least with me, I had that relief after the final whistle.
“You get to understand over the years how special that moment was. Because in the end you only can play every four years. And then to be in the final and score a goal? That, of course, was very special.”
