The official starting lineups for the Spain vs. Argentina World Cup final will be posted here the moment they’re announced — roughly one hour before Sunday’s 3 p.m. ET kickoff at MetLife Stadium, so around 2 p.m. ET on July 19. Until then, below are the projected XIs both managers are expected to name.
The short version: Spain unchanged from the semifinal win over France, with Pedri and Nico Williams on the bench; Argentina leaning toward Rodrigo De Paul returning to midfield, with the Álvarez-or-Lautaro decision alongside Messi going down to the wire.
2026 World Cup Final
Starting XI Tracker: Spain vs. Argentina
Official lineups posted here when announced (~2 p.m. ET Sunday)
~2 PM ETXIs Announced
3 PM ETKickoff
26Squad Players Each
5+1Subs Allowed
Projected Spain XI
PROJECTED — will be replaced with the official team sheet.
| Formation |
Projected XI |
| 4-3-3 |
Simón; Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Olmo; Yamal, Oyarzabal, Baena |
Projected Argentina XI
PROJECTED — will be replaced with the official team sheet.
| Formation |
Projected XI |
| 4-3-3 |
E. Martínez; Molina, Romero, L. Martínez, Tagliafico; Paredes, Enzo Fernández, Mac Allister; De Paul/Simeone; Messi, Álvarez/Lautaro |
How to Read the Sheets
FIFA team sheets list the starting XI plus up to 15 substitutes. Five subs are allowed in three windows, with a sixth if the final goes to extra time; concussion substitutions are separate.
Watch the Warmups
The tell before the announcement: which forwards drill with the starters. Lautaro taking first-team reps would be the earliest signal of Scaloni’s biggest call.
No Suspensions
Yellow cards were wiped after the quarterfinals and no player from either squad is banned — both managers pick from full squads, injuries aside.
The Bottom Line
Bookmark this page and refresh from 2 p.m. ET Sunday for the confirmed teams. For the reasoning behind the projections, see the full predicted lineups breakdown; for where to watch, the TV guide.
