Kathmandu [Nepal], July 20 – European champions Spain ended a 16-year wait for FIFA World Cup glory by defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2026 final at New Jersey Stadium in New York, United States.
The final remained deadlocked after 90 minutes forcing an additional 30 minutes to decide the winner. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute sealing Spain’s second World Cup title and its first since the country’s historic triumph in 2010.
Argentina’s hopes of retaining the trophy suffered a major setback when midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off after receiving a second yellow card during regulation time leaving the defending champions to play with 10 men for the remainder of the contest.
Spain maintained control in extra time before Torres broke the deadlock with the only goal of the match securing one of the biggest victories in the nation’s football history.
Both finalists reached the championship match after convincing semi-final performances. Argentina advanced by defeating England 2-1 while Spain booked its place in the final with a 2-0 victory over France.
The victory marks Spain’s return to the summit of world football after a 16-year gap and crowns an impressive campaign in which the European champions overcame the tournament’s strongest contenders. Argentina meanwhile, fell short in its bid to defend the title despite another deep run in the competition.
