AP Wire
  • Updated

The World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico wasn't perfect, but has still been widely hailed as a success. The tournament featured 48 teams and 104 games, with stars like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé captivating audiences. Despite some political issues and weather challenges, the games mostly went smoothly. Fox and Telemundo reported strong viewership, with the Spain-Argentina final drawing millions. Fox said Tuesday that the Spain-Argentina game drew 38.937 million viewers — including a peak of 51.685 million — which easily set the record as the most-watched English language soccer telecast in U.S. history, according to Nielsen Media Research.

AP Wire
  • Updated

Spanish soccer has reached a level of its own. Spain’s World Cup victory on Sunday added to the nation’s long list of recent triumphs across men’s, women’s and youth competitions. It highlighted the dominance of a system that has stuck to a tactical identity and the development of collective talent. The men’s team is also the current European champion, the Olympic gold medalist and has reached the Nations League final twice, winning once. The women’s squad is the defending World Cup champion and a two-time Nations League winner, and it made it to the final of the 2025 European Championship.

  • Updated

Shakira performs during halftime during the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, …

AP Wire
  • Updated

Spain substitute Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to give his team a 1-0 win over defending champion Argentina in the World Cup final. Spain was absolutely dominant in terms of possession and shot attempts. Lionel Messi and Argentina found a way to hang on and force extra time — but barely. And in the opening moment of the second 15-minute period of extra time, Torres pounced on a bouncing ball in the box and used his left foot to bury a shot just under the crossbar and into the back of the net.

AP Wire
  • Updated

President Donald Trump has presented the World Cup trophy to Spain, the winner of Sunday’s final against Argentina. But in his eyes, the real victor of the world's premier soccer tournament is the United States. From the start, this year's World Cup faced challenges and backlash, including over its migration policies and high ticket prices. Trump stirred controversy by intervening in a referee decision on a red card. Despite tensions with co-hosts Canada and Mexico, the event has largely been considered successful. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also attended the final, showing soccer’s ability to bridge geopolitical divides.

AP Wire
  • Updated

Madonna opened the World Cup halftime show with her 2000 dance-pop hit “Music,” joined by star Brazilian soccer players of yesteryear, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Sunday's show started with an apparently prerecorded piece in a roller rink before she rode into the stadium on a dune buggy. Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel led an orchestra through the White Stripes’ sporting anthem “Seven Nation Army,” while Animal and other Muppets bopped and shook. K-pop sensations BTS took to the field in red and black moments later singing “Dynamite.” There was also Justin Bieber, “Ted Lasso” characters and, of course, “Dai Dai.”

  • Updated

Argentina's Lisandro Martinez (6) fouls Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal (21) during the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in Ea…