The 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will be remembered more for its spectacle than football. Spain won 1-0 after extra time via a Ferran Torres goal, but the match was overshadowed by a 27-minute half-time show featuring Madonna, BTS, Coldplay, Shakira, and Justin Bieber — the longest in tournament history.

Donald Trump made his first tournament appearance at the final, arriving by helicopter and sitting alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino. He participated in the trophy presentation, lingering on stage as Spain lifted the cup, though Argentina defender Cristian Romero appeared to decline a handshake. Earlier, Trump had intervened to overturn Folarin Balogun's red card suspension.

Pre-match, Tom Cruise delivered a dramatic speech, while heightened Secret Service security caused four-hour queues. Wayne Rooney dismissed the half-time entertainment as "crap," urging officials to "just let us play football." Despite the pageantry, the game itself offered little quality, cementing this final's legacy as a production rather than a sporting classic.