Argentina’s final preparations for tonight’s FIFA World Cup final against Spain were disrupted by severe thunderstorms on Saturday, with the defending champions forced to delay their training session by about 45 minutes, while Spain cancelled its outdoor practice altogether because of lightning and heavy rain.

Argentina, led by captain Lionel Messi, eventually took to the field at the RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center after weather conditions improved. The squad initially completed an indoor activation session before being cleared to train outdoors.

Spain, meanwhile, remained indoors after safety officials called off the team’s scheduled training session under U.S. lightning protocols. Players instead carried out gym-based exercises as head coach Luis de la Fuente made final preparations for the biggest match of the tournament.

The storms also helped improve air quality in the New York-New Jersey area after concerns earlier in the week over smoke drifting south from Canadian wildfires. Tournament organisers have indicated that weather conditions are expected to be favourable for the final, with no disruption anticipated for kick-off.

The championship match will be played at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, where more than 80,000 fans are expected to witness the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Argentina is chasing a fourth World Cup title after defeating England 2-1 in the semi-finals, while Spain secured its place in the final with a 2-0 victory over France.

Much of the attention will focus on Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who has once again inspired his side with a series of decisive performances and now has the opportunity to add another World Cup winner’s medal to his remarkable career. Spain, meanwhile, has impressed throughout the tournament with its disciplined defence, composed possession-based football and clinical finishing.

Security has been heightened around the stadium ahead of the final, while FIFA expects one of the largest global television audiences of the year as football’s two remaining contenders battle for the sport’s biggest prize.

Kick-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT (11.30 p.m. Kabul time), with fans across the globe eagerly awaiting what promises to be a thrilling World Cup final.

Fans in Afghanistan however can tune in to Ariana Television from 10 p.m. to watch the preshow where commentators will discuss the upcoming match.

Fans in Afghanistan are also encouraged to follow ATN and Ariana News’ social media pages for updated news and information.

England secured third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a thrilling 6-4 victory over France, recording their best finish at the tournament since lifting the trophy in 1966.

The Three Lions stormed into a 4-0 half-time lead through goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and a first-half brace from Bukayo Saka, leaving France facing a four-goal deficit at the break for the first time since 1930.

France mounted an impressive comeback in the second half as Kylian Mbappe scored twice, with Bradley Barcola also finding the net to reduce the gap to 4-3. Mbappe’s brace took his overall  World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving him ahead of Lionel Messi as the competition’s all-time leading scorer.

England regained control late in the match when Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Djed Spence was brought down inside the area. Ousmane Dembele responded in stoppage time to make it 5-4 before Jude Bellingham sealed the victory with England’s sixth goal in the 98th minute.

Saka became only the second England player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup knockout match, following Geoff Hurst’s famous treble in the 1966 final.

Bellingham also enjoyed a memorable tournament, finishing with seven goals — the most ever scored by an England men’s player at a single World Cup.

The 10-goal encounter set a new record as the highest-scoring third-place play-off in World Cup history, while England also became the first team to score six goals against France in a World Cup match.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad has said any withdrawal of American forces from Iraq should be based on conditions on the ground rather than a fixed timeline, warning that a security vacuum would not benefit Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, or the United States.

In an interview with Kurdistan24, Khalilzad said Iraq has strong potential to attract U.S. investment under the country’s new prime minister, who is focused on business, trade and economic cooperation. However, he stressed that lasting security remains essential for attracting foreign investors.

He said ongoing discussions between Baghdad and Washington cover both economic cooperation and security arrangements, including the planned withdrawal of U.S. forces by the end of September.

“We will have to see what the impact that will have,” he said. “Will the militias disarm? Will the security environment be such that the neighbors do not interfere in Iraqi security affairs and make things difficult? These are important questions.”

Khalilzad said any decision on reducing or withdrawing troops should depend on whether security conditions improve, including whether armed groups disarm and neighboring countries refrain from interfering in Iraq’s affairs.

“I personally think that we have to be condition-driven,” he said. “If the conditions are such that it’s safe to reduce or adjust or withdraw, one should do it.”

However, he warned against a withdrawal that creates new security risks.

“It’s not in Iraq’s interest or in our interest or Kurdistan’s interest for a security vacuum to be established where there are security challenges that remain,” Khalilzad said.

Khalilzad also described Iraq’s current security environment as “very difficult” but said the country’s long-term economic prospects remain promising if stability can be maintained.