The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will produce a historic first as Argentina and Spain face each other in the championship match for the first time.

The clash brings together the reigning Copa América champions and the current UEFA European champions, making it one of the most anticipated international finals in recent memory.

The match also features another unique milestone. Since the FIFA World Ranking was introduced in 1992, the world's top two ranked national teams have never met in a World Cup final. Argentina enters the match as the No. 1 team in the rankings, while Spain sits second.

Despite their deep historical and cultural ties, particularly through Spanish immigration to Argentina during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the two nations have met only a limited number of times on the pitch. Their overall record is perfectly balanced, with six victories each and two draws in 14 meetings.

Their only previous World Cup encounter came during the group stage of the 1966 tournament in England, where Argentina claimed a 2-1 victory. The Albiceleste also won the first-ever meeting between the nations, defeating Spain 1-0 in Madrid in 1952.

Spain, however, owns the most recent result. In a friendly played in Madrid on March 27, 2018, ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Russia, La Roja handed Argentina a memorable 6-1 defeat.

Now, history offers both teams another opportunity. Argentina hopes to defend the title won in Qatar 2022 and become the first back-to-back World Cup champion in more than six decades, while Spain seeks its second world title and another milestone under head coach Luis de la Fuente.

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