World Cup Final Match

In two days, Spain will play Argentina in New Jersey in the final game of the World Cup. The championship match marks the culmination of the tournament and will determine which nation earns soccer’s most prestigious international title.

The FIFA World Cup began in 1930, when 13 nations gathered in Uruguay for the inaugural tournament. Held from July 13 to 30, the first tournament took place in Montevideo, with most matches played at the newly built Estadio Centenario. FIFA selected Uruguay as the host nation in recognition of the country’s centennial celebration of its first constitution and its national team’s victory at the 1928 Summer Olympics.

The U.S. Mint is celebrating the history of the world’s most popular sporting event with a proof half dollar, part of its official FIFA World Cup 2026 Commemorative Coin Program. The half dollar’s obverse depicts a young player executing a bicycle kick, symbolizing the excitement and promise of the tournament’s early years and its remarkable growth into the world’s premier international soccer competition. The coin honors nearly a century of the tournament’s history and serves as a tribute to its ability to unite nations and inspire generations of fans through the popular game.