Hours before the Argentina-Spain final, AP takes stock of the 2026 World Cup, the biggest in history with 104 matches across three countries. The 48-team format produced surprises like Cape Verde (which matched Spain) and Congo.
The VAR and the high-tech ball drew debate over controversial calls that eliminated Germany, Croatia and Egypt. Mbappé leads the scoring chart with 10 goals (a record 22 in his career), followed by Messi on 8. Tickets reached record prices (up to $2.3 million on FIFA's resale market). The tournament was also marked by political tensions (Iran, Balogun, Trump).
Sources
- [AP News — The biggest takeaways from the 2026 World Cup](https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-final-spain-argentina-e45fd30932bb9885812805cafa99ca33)
