Football’s continental champions will collide in the Middle East after UEFA and CONMEBOL confirmed plans for the 2026 Finalissima, setting up a heavyweight showdown between Spain and Argentina.
The one-off fixture will see Spain, fresh from lifting the UEFA EURO 2024 title, face Argentina, winners of the 2024 Copa América, in a match that brings together the best of Europe and South America. The game will take place on Friday, 27 March 2026, at the iconic Lusail Stadium in Qatar, with kick-off scheduled for 9pm local time.
The match is being staged through a collaboration involving the Royal Spanish Football Federation and the Argentine Football Association, while delivery of the event will be handled by Qatar’s Local Organising Committee for football events.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin described the match as a celebration of the sport’s worldwide appeal. He said, “The Finalissima brings together two continental champions in one of football’s most prestigious occasions, highlighting the game’s truly global reach and the enduring bond between our confederations. We look forward to a memorable night of world-class football and celebration.”
The Finalissima is played over 90 minutes, with no extra time. If the match finishes level, the winner will be decided by a penalty shoot-out. Referees will be appointed jointly by UEFA and CONMEBOL, while VAR, goal-line technology and semi-automated offside technology will all be in use.
Beyond the spectacle itself, the match reflects the growing partnership between the two confederations. Their cooperation now extends across women’s football, futsal and youth competitions, alongside referee exchanges and technical training programmes.
The agreement follows a renewed and extended Memorandum of Understanding signed by UEFA and CONMEBOL in December 2021.
