On July 19, 2026, Spain defeated Argentina to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an extra-time goal by Ferran Torres. The final, held at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, saw a scuffle break out after a foul by Argentina's Leandro Paredes on Spain's Rodri.

In response, FIFA has launched an investigation into the brawl that followed the match.

During a House hearing on July 21, 2026, focused on oversight of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett attempted to frame the World Cup fandom as a discussion about racism. Crockett remarked that the tournament "captured the imaginations of the entire world when they saw all of these people of color that was playing for all these teams."

However, Crockett's comments drew criticism for aligning inadvertently with Spain, a country historically known for colonizing much of Latin America. She also referenced a "racist history that exists as it relates to Argentina."

Observers noted that Spain had the best team in the tournament, which may explain why many were rooting for them.

Crockett has been active on the Global Black Economic Forum Stage during the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, held earlier in July at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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