On Sunday night, New York City’s Times Square witnessed a flurry of arrests following Spain’s thrilling World Cup final victory over Argentina, which took place across the Hudson River. The atmosphere quickly shifted as celebrations gave way to chaos.
Exclusive images captured by The Daily Mail revealed that multiple revelers ended up handcuffed by police amid the euphoria. Ecstatic Spain supporters had flooded the midtown-Manhattan streets, turning the area near a public viewing party into an impromptu dance floor.
While the NYPD has not yet divulged specifics about the arrests, a spokesperson for the department informed The Daily Mail late Sunday night that the exact number of those detained remained uncertain as processing of the suspects was still underway.
According to the spokesperson, those taken into custody are primarily charged with disorderly conduct, reflecting the rowdy celebrations that ensued.
One striking image shows a fan sporting a Lamine Yamal jersey being escorted by two officers. Also detained was a man clad in a pink t-shirt and matching shorts, in addition to a shirtless individual captured on Instagram video, amplifying the chaotic scene.
Other Spain fans were seen raising replica trophies, blowing horns and crowd surfing in the wake of the country’s second World Cup win.
Times Square was full of Spain World Cup fans into the early hours of Monday morning
As pictured by The Daily Mail’s John Taggart, several individuals were placed in riot cuffs as overjoyed Spain fans danced in the closed midtown-Manhattan streets
Details of the numerous arrests in Times Square were not made immediately clear. The Daily Mail has reached out for more information from New York Police Department spokespeople
A devastated Argentina fan is seen sulking on Sunday in New York’s Times Square
And while many Spanish flags were being waved in Times Square, there were also several Palestinian flags as well, which isn’t a major surprise. Spain’s government has been largely supportive of refugees in war-ravaged Gaza, while Argentinian president Javier Milei has built close ties with Israel.
Spain fans, not of all whom hail from the Iberian Peninsula, swarmed from one city tourist attraction to another following the 1-0 victory.
In lower Manhattan, red-clad revelers took over the city’s High Line, which is a park raised on an old rail line 30 feet above the city streets.
But Sunday’s most hectic scene was Times Square, which had been a beehive of activity throughout the tournament. Fans who couldn’t afford four-figure ticket prices had dozens of watch parties to choose from throughout the five boroughs, but no option proved as popular as Times Square’s seemingly endless array of towering electronic billboards.
Many Team Argentina fans in Times Square were left devastated by Sunday’s loss
Two supporters of Team Spain rejoice after Sunday’s 1-0 win over Team Argentina
Times Square has been a hive of activity throughout the World Cup, despite the fact that local tournament games such as Sunday’s final were actually played at MetLife Stadium
New York Police Department officers stand guard as fans gather in Times Square
And on Sunday, Times Square appeared to lean heavily in favor of the defending-champion Argentinians, at least before the match.
‘We came across a few Spaniards but I don’t look at them,’ the blue-and-white-clad Florencia Luzinin, 30, told the AFP.
Afterwards, many of those Argentina fans appeared devastated, regardless of whether or not they actually claimed Argentinian citizenship.
While America does have Spanish and Argentinian immigrants, those diasporas are far smaller than others in the country, which may have led Sunday’s turnout to be slightly smaller than some of the tournament’s previous matches.
‘It’s been slightly overshadowed,’ Howie Ray, 42, told the AFP. ‘I think there was fatigue after all the games of the group stage and then the US getting eliminated. Spain and Argentina are also relatively small immigrant populations.
‘You also have the regular folks leave for the weekend during the summer.’
Spain’s support for refugees in war-torn Gaza led some to wave Palestinian flags after the win
Spain fans celebrate in Times Square after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final
An Argentina fan hugs a fan of Spain in Times Square ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final
An Argentina fan wishes luck to a fan of Spain in the crowd in Times Square on Sunday
Many visitors from Spain and Argentina did cross the Atlantic for the World Cup, but rather than pack into Times Square, they decided to splurge on tickets.
‘Money comes back,’ Buenos Aires resident Manuel Lopez Maccotta told The Associated Press. ‘This is once in a lifetime. You´re seeing the best player in the world [Lionel Messi] in his last World Cup. Money is worthless compared to this.’
And how much did he pay?
‘Almost 10K in American money,’ said Maccotta, whose friend got off relatively easy with a $5,000 ticket.
‘I bought the ticket before the World Cup final,’ Santiago Burcaco told the AP.
Argentina and Spain fans were comrades in this struggle.
Madrid’s Curro Sanchez spent $8,000 on his ticket, and will now be staying in the city through Thursday.
‘Had a big, big, big fight with my wife,’ Sanchez told the AP. ‘At the end of the day, she understood.’