World Cup 2026 — The Record
World Cup 2026 — The Record
*Filed by Spy Sports. Tournament ran 11 June – 19 July 2026.*
The Result
Spain are World Champions.
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium on 19 July 2026. A dominant tournament — La Roja conceded just one goal across the entire competition. Their second World Cup title, 16 years after South Africa 2010.
Argentina, the defending champions, reached the final but could not back-to-back. They progressed through the knockout stages with difficulty at every turn — surviving Cabo Verde and others before falling at the last.
England — Third Place
England's best World Cup finish since 1966.
Thomas Tuchel's side were knocked out at the semi-final stage — a late collapse against Argentina — but bounced back to beat France 6-4 in the third-place play-off at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami. Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick. Jude Bellingham came on as substitute and added the sixth.
Bellingham finished the tournament with 7 goals — the most ever scored in a single World Cup by an England player.
Key results:
- Round of 16: England 2-1 Mexico (extra time)
- Quarter-final: England 2-1 Norway (extra time, Bellingham brace)
- Semi-final: England lost to Argentina (late collapse)
- Third place: England 6-4 France (Saka hat-trick)
The Hosts
The three co-hosts — USA, Canada, Mexico — were all knocked out in the Round of 16. Canada lost to Morocco. Mexico fell to England. The USA were eliminated by Belgium. All 48 games in the US from the quarter-finals onward.
The Format
First World Cup with 48 teams. Twelve groups of four, top two plus eight best third-placed teams advancing to a Round of 32. 104 matches total.
Three Lions — The Spy Sports Take
The semi-final exit will sting but the trajectory is clear. Bellingham and Saka are at their peak. The squad depth that Tuchel built through a perfect qualifying campaign — ten wins, ten clean sheets — showed up when it mattered.
Third place at a World Cup in 2026. The conversation has changed.
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