104 matches, and a handful that will be talked about for decades. From the opening night at the Azteca to a 1-0 final in extra time, here are the ten best games of the 2026 World Cup.

This guide covers the final: spain 1-0 argentina, argentina 3-2 egypt: the var comeback, curaçao 0-0 ecuador: the goalless classic, and the rest of the top 10. Each section explains the topic with concrete examples, so you can use what you learn straight away.

The final at MetLife Stadium was goalless for 90 minutes, with Spain dominating possession and Argentina defending through Emiliano Martínez, who made a record 11 saves. Spain found the winner in extra time to claim their second World Cup title, ending Lionel Messi's last tournament with a defeat at 39 years old. It was not the most open final ever played, but it was the most tense, and the extra-time winner made it unforgettable.

Egypt led 1-0 and scored a second through Mostafa Ziko in the 58th minute, only for VAR to overturn the goal for a foul 17 seconds earlier and 80 metres from where it was scored. Argentina came back to win 3-2, and the match became the most debated game of the tournament, with Egypt feeling robbed and FIFA defending the call. Whatever your view of the decision, it was the match that defined the VAR debate for the whole World Cup.

A 0-0 draw rarely makes a best-matches list, but this one does, because Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room made 16 saves against 28 Ecuador shots. Ecuador had more than 3 expected goals and still could not score, and the final whistle gave Curaçao its first ever World Cup point. It was the ultimate underdog story: a nation of 150,000 people holding one of South America's strongest teams.

Paraguay's penalty shootout win over Germany in the round of 32, with Orlando Gill saving the decisive kick, was the upset of the knockout stage. England's 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway had everything: a VAR-overturned goal, a Jordan Pickford masterclass and a late winner. Mexico's 2-0 opening win over South Africa at the Azteca set the tone for the whole tournament, and the third-place playoff, England's 6-4 win over France, was the highest-scoring game of the finals.