Argentina vs Spain, Sunday. Everything to know about the World Cup final.

The when and where

The final kicks off Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m. ET, at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. Fox and Fox Sports carry the English broadcast, Telemundo and Peacock have the Spanish-language coverage. The third-place match between France and England is the day before, July 18, in Miami. (NBC New York)

What is actually at stake

Argentina is the defending champion and is chasing something no team has done since Brazil in 1958 and 1962, back-to-back World Cup titles. Spain is playing for its second star overall. This is also the first final of the newly expanded 48-team format, which reshaped how the whole tournament unfolded from the group stage on. Argentina got here off a late two-goal burst against England, Enzo Fernandez then Lautaro Martinez off a Messi assist, in the final ten minutes of the semifinal. Spain got here more comfortably, beating France 2-0 behind a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty and a Pedro Porro strike. (NBC New York)

The halftime show is actually new

For the first time ever, the World Cup final is getting a Super Bowl-style halftime show, an 11-minute set curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin and featuring Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Burna Boy. Whatever you think of the mid-game spectacle format, it is a genuine first for this tournament and a sign of how big this particular final is being treated. (NBC New York)

My honest take

Argentina winning it late against England says something real about a team that keeps finding a way, and I would not bet against a group that has proven it can manufacture a result when it needs one. Spain's win was the cleaner performance of the two semifinals, which usually means less margin for error but also less late-game chaos to rely on. This is as close to a coin flip as a final gets, and that is exactly what a final should be.

For the road here, see how Argentina booked its spot and how Spain booked its spot. You can see what this studio builds at jcmobileappstudio.com.