The New York sports scene has been on an all-time heater in recent weeks, transitioning from the Knicks’ magical championship run straight into a bigger-than-ever World Cup tournament, which culminates with Sunday’s Final at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey.
This summer’s World Cup has been a smashing success by most accounts, but this was hardly a foregone conclusion in the runup to the tournament — shock over astronomical ticket prices, worries over the potential for empty seats at games, and international disapproval of the U.S. government threatened to dampen the event. But all of that washed away when the games kicked off on June 11, replaced by a wonderful fantasia of jaw-dropping goals, breakout star performances, Cinderella teams and heartbreaking losses.
But it isn’t over yet. Sunday’s final offers a classic match up of traditional soccer powerhouses: Spain vs. Argentina.
The matchup
Spain is back in the final after its decisive 2-0 semifinal win over tournament-favorite France on Tuesday, where Spain possessed the ball for long stretches of the game, smothering France’s formidable attack. Spain’s young phenom winger, Lamine Yamal, is poised to be the next-big-thing in international soccer — and he has flashed his speed and dribbling skills at times throughout the World Cup — yet Spain’s victory on Tuesday was powered by the midfielding tandem of Fabián Ruiz and Rodri.
While France garnered most of the attention and accolades this tournament, Spain has quietly put together one of the best runs of all time — Tuesday’s win was its 37th in a row, which includes their Euro Cup title in 2024. If Spain wins on Sunday, it’ll break the consecutive wins record it shares with Italy, and claim Spain's second World Cup title — its first since 2010.
Argentina won yet another dramatic, come-from-behind victory in Wednesday's semifinal, scoring twice in the final minutes to stun England 2-1 — keeping its hopes of winning back-to-back World Cup titles alive. And once again, Argentina was led by arguably the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi, who had assists on both goals and continues to play at a high level at 39 years old.
While many fans around the world have accused FIFA of giving preferential treatment to the defending champions on their path to the final, they have a knack for making big plays at key moments, which makes them impossible to count out on Sunday.
The forecast
Temperatures should be in the mid-80s with a chance of rain, so it’s worth taking a closer look at the weather report on Sunday morning, and maybe packing an umbrella if you’re planning on watching outside.
In addition, smoke has been drifting into the city from the Canadian wildfires to the North, which has been affecting New York’s air quality in recent days. It’s predicted to dissipate by the weekend, but it’s a potential X-factor.
Where to watch
If you have tickets to the game, note that President Donald Trump will be awarding the trophy, so security will be ramped up. NJ Transit to the Metlife will start running early, with officials asking fans to be in their seats by 1:30 p.m. to ensure there’s plenty of time for security measures. But you probably don’t have tickets because while the best place to catch the game is Metlife Stadium, the cheapest tickets are listed for more than $7,000 each — so catching the game on TV somewhere is probably a more reasonable bet! And there are certainly some great options around the city.
If you’d like to lock in and watch at home, the game will be broadcast on FOX, which you can watch for free using a traditional TV antenna, or by streaming on the FOX One app. The game is also available in Spanish on Telemundo, which has a certain color and panache lacking in the English broadcasts — especially for this match up of Hispanic nations.
If you’re looking for a pro-Argentina crowd, check out Elmhurst, Queens, which has tons of Argentinian businesses and eateries like Boca Juniors on Queens Blvd — an Argentine steakhouse named after the country’s most famous soccer club teams and full of die-hard fans on game days.
On the flip side, Socorat Paella Bar has three locations in Manhattan in Nolita, Midtown, and Chelsea, and has been playing all of the Spanish games. It offers gameday tapas and drinks specials as well. Another solid Spanish stronghold is La Nacional in Chelsea, a restaurant and one of the last remaining pieces of the former “Little Spain” in Manhattan.
Lastly, the city is home to a couple of massive watch parties for the game. FIFA’s party on the Great Lawn in Central Park is expected to host more than 50,000 people with giant TV screens, food and drink, live music and more. But you must have a ticket! Find out more here and here.
Another party is taking place on Governor’s Island. Dubbed “The People’s Final,” this party should feature more of the same in terms of giant screens, music and food, but no registration is required, and those views of Lower Manhattan are hard to beat.
More than anything, just make sure you’re watching one way or another when the game kicks off at 3 p.m. on Sunday, as it’s set up to be an epic match and an unforgettable moment in a special New York sports summer.
