The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain did not kick off on time and was delayed by six minutes. Kick-off at the New York New Jersey stadium was scheduled to be 8pm BST (3pm ET) but the most-watched sporting fixture in the world did not begin until 8:06pm BST.
The start of the match followed a performance by Robbie Williams, the singing of the national anthem by Jennifer Hudson, a bizarre pre-game speech by actor Tom Cruise, and a ‘let’s get ready to rumble’ build-up by ring announcers the Buffer brothers – Michael and Bruce.
There was also the World Cup closing ceremony, 90 minutes before kick-off, featuring performances by Post Malone and streamer IShowSpeed, while the World Cup trophy was brought onto the pitch by Spain’s 2010 champion Andreas Iniesta and Argentina’s 1978 champion Mario Kempes, as well as tennis champion Carlos Alcaraz and Squid Game actor Hoyeon.
As anticipation for the World Cup final was beginning to build, Cruise appeared on stage and addressed the crowd. “So as we gather for one final chapter, let us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together. Let us celebrate each other. This is football. This is unity. This is greatness,” he said, in a strange monologue.
The World Cup final will also stage an extended half-time show, with performances from Shakira and Madonna expected to delay the restart of the final by several minutes. Donald Trump’s attendance at the match also added extra layers of security, with hundreds of journalists, entertainers, and volunteers waiting in lines for up to three hours before entering the stadium.
As with all other matches at the World Cup, the final features a three-minute hydration break roughly halfway through each half. The conditions in New Jersey for the World Cup final are warm, with no air conditioning available at the outdoor venue – unlike in Dallas or Atlanta for the semi-finals.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina are bidding to become the first World Cup champions to defend their title since Brazil in 1962, while Spain are attempting to win the World Cup for the second time and add to their Euro 2024 victory.
Spain are the favourites after brilliantly beating France 2-0 in a surprisingly one-sided semi-final, so perhaps it is no surprise that Luis de la Fuente opted for an unchanged starting XI from that fixture.
Lionel Scaloni made three changes from the Argentina side that started the semi-final victory over England. Nahuel Molina, Giuliano Simeone and Leandro Paredes all drop to the bench, with right-back Gonzalo Montiel and midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Nico Gonzalez starting instead.
Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic will officiate the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina; Vincic will be joined by compatriot assistants Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic, making history as the first ever referee from Slovenia to take charge of the landmark fixture.
