Five of the Last Six World Cup Finals Went to Extra Time

Five of the last six FIFA World Cup finals have gone into extra time. In this year's decisive match at the 2026 World Cup, Spain and Argentina failed to score in regular time, pushing the game into an additional period.

In 2022, Argentina triumphed over France after a penalty shootout, while in 2014, they lost to Germany following an extra-time goal. In 2010, Spain secured the title thanks to a goal in the 116th minute, and in 2006, Italy overcame France after a penalty shootout. The sole exception in this period was the 2018 World Cup final, where France defeated Croatia 4-2 in regular time.