Former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor has grabbed headlines ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final after placing a staggering $100,000 wager on the blockbuster clash between Argentina and Spain. While high-profile bets from celebrities are nothing new, the Irishman's reasoning behind this one has left football fans stunned.
The World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey will see defending champions Argentina take on reigning European champions Spain in what promises to be one of the biggest fixtures in international football.
Although statistical models have given Spain a slight edge heading into the contest, McGregor has thrown his weight behind Lionel Messi and Argentina after being convinced by an unusual prediction that surfaced on social media years ago.
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Why did Conor McGregor place the bet?
McGregor revealed that his confidence in Argentina stems from an X (formerly Twitter) post made back in 2021, where a user predicted that Argentina would defeat Spain 3-2 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
With that exact fixture now becoming reality, the former UFC champion believes the prediction could be destined to come true.
Speaking on his Instagram story, McGregor explained the bizarre inspiration behind his wager.
"What's up folks, Conor McGregor here with my World Cup final bet. The bet will be Argentina to beat Spain 3-2 within the 90 minutes.
"Why am I doing this? Five years ago, some guy on the internet predicted that Argentina and Spain would be in the World Cup final and that the score would be 3-2. How did this guy know these boys would be in the final? And then they are.
"Let's go. There it is, McGregor's World Cup final bet. Some guy on the internet, bring it home for me, baby. Let's go."
McGregor also shared a screenshot of the bet slip, showing odds of 36/1, meaning the wager would return approximately $3.6 million if Argentina win by the exact 3-2 scoreline in regulation time.
Spain enter final as slight favourites
Despite McGregor's confidence in the defending champions, Spain head into Sunday's final with momentum on their side after producing some of the tournament's most dominant performances.
La Roja recovered from a slow start in the group stage before recording impressive victories over Portugal, Belgium and France to book their place in the final. According to statistics provider Opta, Spain have roughly a 59.56 percent chance of lifting the trophy.
Argentina, meanwhile, have once again showcased the resilience that made them world champions four years ago. Lionel Scaloni's side have repeatedly found ways to bounce back from difficult situations, including their dramatic semi-final comeback against England, where late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez secured a 2-1 victory.
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With Messi eyeing another World Cup title and Spain chasing only their second crown, the final promises to be an unforgettable occasion. Whether Conor McGregor's faith in a five-year-old internet prediction pays off remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — there is far more than footballing glory riding on Sunday's showpiece.