England beats France 6-4 for 3rd place in World Cup, but Mbappe makes history
England defeated France 6-4 on Saturday for a third-place finish in the World Cup, in a high-scoring match that saw France attempt a second-half comeback and Kylian Mbappe make history for the most career goals scored in the competition.
All eyes now turn to the final on Sunday, where Argentina's Lionel Messi could add another milestone to his storied career on Sunday by winning his second World Cup title. To achieve that feat, the defending champions will have to beat Spain, a team that has only allowed one goal this entire tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final arrives after 48 teams competed in over 100 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada over the past six weeks.
The event will also feature a star-studded closing ceremony and the World Cup's first-ever halftime show with headliners Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS scheduled to perform.
Here's what to know on the final weekend of the World Cup.
How did Spain and Argentina get to the final?
Spain advanced to the final after defeating France, a two-time World Cup winner, on Tuesday in a 2-0 upset. France had been tipped as a strong contender for the trophy after previously topping the FIFA men's ranking.
The Spanish men's team, known as La Roja, won its first and only World Cup in 2010. The team most recently won the UEFA European championship in 2024, defeating England 2-1.
Meanwhile, Argentina proved resilient yet again with a stunning comeback against England in the final minutes of its semifinal match on Wednesday. England had been holding onto a 1-0 lead when two late goals from Argentina flipped the score. England was unable to respond and the final score was 2-1.
Argentina has won the World Cup three times, most recently in 2022 with a victory over France in penalty kicks. The team also won the last two Copa America championships in 2021 and 2024.
The final match will kick off on Sunday, July, 19, at 3 p.m. from New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Closing ceremony and halftime show
Post Malone will headline Sunday's closing ceremony ahead of kick-off. Tom Cruise, singers Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger and Robbie Williams, and streamer IShowSpeed will also be featured in the ceremony starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Additionally, Jennifer Hudson will perform the National Anthem ahead of the match.
This year, the World Cup final will include the event's first-ever halftime show. Global superstars Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Justin Bieber are the headliners.
What other awards are handed out besides the trophy?
The tournament recognizes outstanding individuals through several awards, including the Golden Ball for best player, Golden Boot for top scorer, Golden Glove for best goalkeeper and the FIFA Young Player Award.
Medals will be handed out to the players and coaching staff of the first, second and third place winners.
Where can I watch the final?
The last match will air live in the U.S. on FOX for the English-language broadcast, with streaming on FOX One, and Telemundo for the Spanish-language broadcast. The Telemundo broadcast will also stream on Peacock.
