Futsal Finalissima 2026 semi-final preview: Spain vs Portugal, Brazil vs Argentina

The second Futsal Finalissima kicks off with two huge semi-finals at Arena Niterói in Rio de Janeiro state on Friday as holders Portugal take on Spain before hosts Brazil meet Argentina.

Here is a quick guide to the knockout tournament that brings together the finalists from UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 and the 2026 CONMEBOL Copa América de Futsal.

Global giants meet

Between them these four nations have won all ten editions of the FIFA Futsal World Cup, that began in 1989, and have taken up 16 of the 20 final slots. Brazil won the most recent edition in 2024, their sixth title overall but first since 2012.

Spain broke Brazil's monopoly of the title in 2000 and 2004, while Argentina were champions in 2016 and subsequently runners-up in 2021 and 2024. Portugal joined the roll of honour in 2021 and a year later won the first Futsal Finalissima, beating Spain on penalties in Buenos Aires after the debut finalists had respectively defeated Paraguay and Argentina.

Portugal look to retain title

Portugal's World Cup and Finalissima successes came in a memorable spell where they also won Futsal EURO 2018 and 2022, beating previous nemesis Spain in all four tournaments. Their EURO title went this February in a thrilling 5-3 loss to Spain in Ljubljana, with ten of that squad travelling to Brazil under long-serving coach Jorge Braz.

Braz, in charge since 2010, can call on six Futsal Finalissima 2022 winners in André Coelho, Pany Varela, Tomás Paçó, Afonso Jesus, Hugo Neves and Silvestre Ferreira. Indeed, despite the injury absences of Edu, Erick and Zicky, between them the squad have 18 major titles, with André Coelho and Pany part of all four trophy triumphs and Lúcio Rocha also inspiring their 2023 UEFA Under-19 Futsal EURO victory.

Spain aim for more success

Spain's Futsal EURO 2026 victory ended a rare decade without a major title and now they are aiming to add the Finalissima crown to their eight European and two World Cup titles. The final win also restored their supremacy over their Iberian neighbours after a period where things had gone against them; overall in 36 meetings, Spain have 27 wins and Portugal five, with four draws, the goal count 121-59.

Nine of Spain's Futsal EURO squad have travelled to Brazil, Mellado ruled out on the eve of the trip injured. Antonio Pérez will bid to keep up the form that earned him the Futsal EURO Player of the Tournament crown after a final hat-trick against Portugal, while Mario Rivillos, also part of Spain's previous EURO triumph in 2016, captains the squad.

Brazil and Argentina reprise rivalry

The two South American giants have met close to 100 times, and Brazil hold the upper hand, underlined as they beat Argentina 2-1 in the finals of both the 2024 World Cup and 2026 Copa América. Nine of Brazil's World Cup final team are in the Finalissima 14, while the squad also boasts past UEFA Futsal Champions League winners Fabinho, João Victor (aka Neguinho), Cleber, Dyego, Vinicius Rocha, Pito and Wesley França plus other stars of the competition Arthur and Marcel.

Argentina are not short of European-based talent themselves and much focus is on one of their three Jaén players, Alan Brandi, a veteran of all their three World Cup final appearances, scoring twice in their 2016 victory. He retired from international futsal after the 2024 World Cup but is making a special return after answering the call of coach Matías Lucuix.