2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup concluded the epic semi-final battles that stirred the hearts of soccer fans worldwide, leaving only two matches — the third-place playoff and the final — to decide fate. KBS, which firmly holds the title of "No. 1 World Cup broadcaster," has also finished preparations to livestream the final stage that will crown the finale.
In particular, the Argentina-Spain final is already drawing global attention as the 19-year-old remarkable connection between the two teams' aces, Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, is being reexamined.
The two semi-final matches, which drew unprecedented interest with clashes of star-studded players and a pride battle among FIFA-ranked 1st to 4th place teams, were enough to keep soccer fans awake at night.
On the 15th, the France-Spain semifinal, which drew attention with the "old vs. new ace" matchup between Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, recorded a nationwide rating of 1.6% (Seoul metropolitan area 1.8%, Nielsen Korea), proving the fervor for soccer at a remarkable level even in the early morning, thanks to the superb commentary by analyst Lee Young-pyo and caster Nam Hyun-jong.
Then, the early morning big match between Argentina and England on the 16th recorded a nationwide rating of 1.8% (Seoul metropolitan area 1.9%) amid vivid live coverage by analyst Kim Shin-wook and caster Lee Jae-hu. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, the "god of soccer," secured a place in the final with a hard-fought comeback victory over England, where Harry Kane's long-cherished wish for a first title was at stake.
Now the North and Central America World Cup journey has only two matches left. On the 19th at 6 a.m., KBS 2TV will broadcast the France vs. England third-place match with analyst Park Joo-young and caster Kim Jong-hyun waking viewers on Sunday early morning.
And the long-awaited final that will determine the World Cup champion between Argentina and Spain will be held on the 20th at 4 a.m. on KBS 2TV, with the "premium duo" analyst Lee Young-pyo and caster Nam Hyun-jong taking the microphones.
This final is even more dramatic as the story of two aces transcending generations. Nineteen years ago, a Messi in his early 20s, during a charity calendar photoshoot, bathed a five-month-old baby Yamal and bestowed a "blessing." That fateful scene has been a topic throughout this World Cup, and remarkably the two now face each other as player versus player on the "stage of dreams," the World Cup final.
Spain's invincible fleet, led by the "19-year-old rising star" Yamal who grew up under "Messi's blessing," and Lionel Messi's Argentina, still holding the world's top spot and aiming for back-to-back World Cup titles, will meet in a do-or-die showdown. The match will be vividly conveyed through the voice of analyst Lee Young-pyo, renowned for sharp predictions and outstanding tactical analysis.<
[Photo] KBS provided
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