Who scored the finest goal? FIFA opens the race after World Cup final.

FIFA has released the full list of nominees for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Hyundai Goal of the Tournament ahead of Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain.

The latest six goals from the quarter-finals and semi-finals have completed the shortlist, with the overall winner set to be decided after the World Cup final.
On Saturday, FIFA confirmed that Julian Alvarez’s extra-time goal in Argentina’s 3-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland was voted the best goal from the quarter-finals and semi-finals after receiving 37.2 per cent of the votes.
The award has been decided in stages throughout the tournament, with fans voting after the group stage, Round of 32, Round of 16, and the combined quarter-finals and semi-finals. The winners from each phase, alongside the shortlisted goals, now make up the final list of contenders.
2026 FIFA World Cup Goal of the Tournament Contenders
Group Stage
Eldor Shomurodov (Uzbekistan vs Congo DR) – Winner (36%) – Inch-perfect lob from a tight angle.
Wilson Isidor (Haiti)
Kerim Alajbegovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Vinicius Junior (Brazil)
Round of 32
Sidny Lopes Cabral (Cabo Verde vs Argentina) – Winner (88.7%) – Cut inside from the left before curling a superb finish beyond Emiliano Martinez into the far corner.
Lionel Messi (Argentina vs Cabo Verde)
Kaishu Sano (Japan vs Brazil)
Kylian Mbappe (France)
Julian Quinones (Mexico)
Round of 16
Erling Haaland (Norway vs Brazil) – Winner (34%) – Controlled the ball with three touches before firing a thunderous strike across Alisson into the bottom corner.
Lionel Messi (Argentina vs Egypt) – Sensational equaliser.
Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco vs Canada) – Well-worked set-piece finish.
Quarter-finals and Semi-finals
Julian Alvarez (Argentina vs Switzerland) – Winner (37.2%) – Curled a superb extra-time finish into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Kylian Mbappe (France vs Morocco) – Curled home a brilliant effort to break the deadlock.
Andreas Schjelderup (Norway vs England) – Scored from an almost impossible angle.
Jude Bellingham (England vs Norway) – Beat two defenders before firing in a left-footed equaliser.
Pedro Porro (Spain vs France) – Finished off a slick Spanish move with a clinical strike.
Enzo Fernandez (Argentina vs England) – Produced a stunning long-range effort in the semi-final.
The overall winner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Hyundai Goal of the Tournament will be announced after Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain.