Spain Are World Champions!
There are some nights that will be remembered for years to come – and for football fans across Lanzarote, this was certainly one of them.
Spain faced Argentina in the 2026 World Cup Final on Sunday night, with fans across the island gathering in bars, homes and public viewing areas to watch one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
I chose to watch the final in Arrecife, where a giant screen had been set up, giving supporters the chance to come together and experience the match in what turned out to be an unforgettable atmosphere.
Even before arriving, it was clear this was no ordinary Sunday night in Lanzarote. Driving towards Arrecife, the roads were remarkably quiet. Streets that would normally have had plenty of traffic were almost deserted, creating the strange feeling that the entire island had simply stopped to watch the football.
But on arriving at the big screen, it quickly became obvious where everyone had gone. The area was absolutely packed. Thousands of supporters had gathered, creating a spectacular sea of red as Spanish shirts and flags filled the crowd. The atmosphere was buzzing, with friends, families and football fans of all ages coming together to support Spain.
As kick-off approached, excitement soon turned to tension.
The match proved to be a nail-biting affair, with neither side able to find the breakthrough during normal time. As the minutes passed, the nerves amongst the crowd became increasingly obvious – particularly as the possibility of the World Cup Final being decided by penalties began to feel very real.
For those of us who were in Lanzarote when Spain won their first World Cup in 2010, there was also a sense of déjà vu. Sixteen years ago, Spain needed extra time to defeat the Netherlands 1-0 and lift the World Cup for the first time. Now, all these years later, thousands of fans gathered in Arrecife were hoping history might repeat itself.
And then came the moment everyone had been waiting for. Spain finally broke the deadlock with a goal from Ferran Torres in extra time. The reaction in Arrecife was instant. After more than 100 minutes of tension, the crowd erupted.
But there was still time left to play. Every remaining second seemed to last an eternity as Spain attempted to hold onto their lead, with thousands of nervous fans watching the giant screen and waiting for the moment they could finally celebrate.
Then came the final whistle.
Spain were World Champions once again.
The scenes that followed were incredible, as the tension of the previous two hours gave way to pure celebration.
For one night, Arrecife became a sea of red, filled with cheering supporters and beeping car horns celebrating another historic moment for Spanish football.
Having experienced Spain’s unforgettable World Cup triumph in 2010 while living here in Lanzarote, it was incredibly special to witness the island come together once again, sixteen years later, the atmosphere was electric.
And in the end, it couldn’t have had a more perfect finish.
Spain are World Champions – and Lanzarote certainly knew how to celebrate.
