Spain's second World Cup, city by city: the road to New Jersey

Spain won the 2026 World Cup on 19 July 2026, beating Argentina 1–0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute. It was Spain's second world title, 16 years after the first, won in South Africa in 2010.

Luis de la Fuente's team, captained by Rodri, played eight matches in five stadiums in two of the three host countries, the United States and Mexico. Measured in straight lines from one stadium to the next, the route covers about 7,800 miles. Along the way Spain scored 14 goals and conceded one.

Atlanta: two group matches in one stadium

The campaign began at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, listed by FIFA as Atlanta Stadium for the tournament, on 15 June 2026. Cape Verde, playing their first World Cup match, held Spain 0–0. Torres hit the bar before half-time, and FIFA named Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper, Vozinha, player of the match.

Six days later, in the same stadium, Spain beat Saudi Arabia 4–0. Lamine Yamal, making his first World Cup start, scored in the 10th minute. Mikel Oyarzabal added two more by the 24th, and Hassan Al-Tambakti turned the ball into his own net four minutes after half-time.

Guadalajara: the only stop in Mexico

The third group match was about 1,480 miles to the south-west, at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, part of greater Guadalajara. It was the only match Spain played outside the United States.

On 26 June Álex Baena scored in the 42nd minute, after the Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera failed to push his shot clear. Spain won 1–0 and finished top of Group H with seven points. Uruguay went home. Cape Verde, with three draws, went through in second place.

Inglewood and Arlington: four knockout matches, two stadiums

From Mexico the route turned north-west, about 1,290 miles, to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, in the Los Angeles area. On 2 July Spain beat Austria 3–0 in the round of 32. Oyarzabal scored in the 36th and 89th minutes, both times from a Marc Cucurella pass, and Pedro Porro headed in a Baena cross for his first international goal. It was Spain's first win in a World Cup knockout match since 2010.

For the next three rounds Spain moved back and forth across the 1,230 miles or so between Inglewood and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in the Dallas area. That is about 3,700 miles in 12 days.

In Arlington on 6 July, Portugal and Spain were level until stoppage time. Mikel Merino, who had come on in the 85th minute, ran on to a pass from Torres and scored in the first minute of added time. Spain won 1–0, and the result ended Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career.

Back in Inglewood on 10 July, Fabián Ruiz put Spain ahead against Belgium after 30 minutes. Charles De Ketelaere headed the equaliser in the 41st, the only goal Spain conceded all tournament. Merino came off the bench again in the 86th minute and, two minutes later, scored the winner after the substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens failed to hold a shot from Pau Cubarsí. Spain won 2–1.

The semi-final, on 14 July, took Spain back to Arlington. Oyarzabal scored a 22nd-minute penalty after Lucas Digne kicked Yamal, and Porro made it 2–0 in the 58th minute after a one-two with Dani Olmo. "We were up against one of the best national teams in the world, but today, they were facing the best team in the world," de la Fuente said, according to the Associated Press.

East Rutherford: the final

The last leg ran about 1,390 miles north-east to MetLife Stadium, called New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament, for the final against the holders, Argentina. The attendance was 80,663.

Spain had 65 per cent of the possession, by FIFA's count. According to the AP, they had 15 shots in normal time and Argentina had none. Enzo Fernández was sent off for a second yellow card, for a challenge on Cubarsí, in stoppage time at the end of the 90 minutes, so Argentina played extra time with ten men.

The goal came 37 seconds into the second period of extra time. Nico Williams, a substitute, headed Porro's cross back into the path of Torres, another substitute, who struck it into the roof of the net. FIFA named Torres player of the match.

"Today destiny was written, it was made for us to win," Torres told FIFA's host broadcasters, as reported by ESPN.

The win also made Spain the first country to hold the men's and women's World Cups at the same time; their women's team won in 2023. Oyarzabal finished with five goals, more than any of his team-mates, and Spain kept seven clean sheets in eight matches.

On the map, the route runs south-west from Atlanta into Mexico, north-west to Los Angeles, back and forth between there and Texas, then north-east to New Jersey.