Giants QB Jaxson Dart makes World Cup final appearance. Here’s who he picked to win

SALT LAKE CITY — Jaxson Dart is becoming a bonafide soccer fan.

The New York Giants quarterback who prepped at Roy High and Corner Canyon was among the countless athletes, celebrities and dignitaries to strut the red carpet before Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

It’s not the first time Dart, who grew up in Kaysville before being selected by the Giants in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft out of Ole Miss, has gone all-in on the World Cup this summer. He attended the United States’ opening match of the tournament in Los Angeles.

The chance to visit a World Cup on home soil is a thrill of a lifetime, Dart acknowledged. But the thrill went farther with the final being hosted at MetLife Stadium, home of the Giants (and their Big Apple rivals, the New York Jets, of course).

“That was a really cool experience,” Dart told Fox Sports’ pre-match show. “But I think this game in the home stadium for us, I couldn’t miss it.

“I’m just excited,” he added.”We’ve got a fun group here, and it’s going to be a lot of fun to watch these two countries compete.”

🏈 @Giants QB Jaxson Dart joins our @JennyTaft from the Red Carpet and gives his 2026 FIFA World Cup Final prediction pic.twitter.com/srNKH5XsMC

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026

The final also brought out a performance by music star and Utah resident Post Malone, who took the stage about 90 minutes before kickoff as part of a celebration of the 39-day tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Born in Syracuse, New York, “Postie” grew up in Grapevine, Texas, but recently bought a $3 million mansion on 6.75 acres of land in a secluded area near Cottonwood Heights, TMZ reported in 2019.

Jaxson Dart headlines NFL offseason

Dart has made plenty of offseason headlines since throwing for 2,272 yards and 15 touchdowns with five interceptions and leading the Giants to a 4-13 record as a rookie. He attended the Kentucky Derby with his family and girlfriend, model and social media influencer Marissa Ayers, back in May. Then he was spotted with former BYU and Orem High star Puka Nacua at the aforementioned U.S. match at SoFi Stadium a little over a month later.

He also drew the ire of some fans, when he attended a campaign event to introduce President Donald Trump at nearby Rockland Community College. The polarizing political move also sparked a conversation with teammate Abdul Carter and others. Carter called the situation “bigger than football” in speaking with reporters after the rally.

“It doesn’t mean that me and Jaxson hate each other or we have beef,” Carter said, per the Associated Press. “I sit next to Jaxson every day, every team meeting. We’re close. We talk. As long as we make sure we’ve got the same goal as a team and our goals align, which they do, then I feel like that’s all that matters.”

Sunday’s World Cup final was different, though Dart did offer a prediction for the final. The quarterback is a fan of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, which one might assume would push him towards siding with the defending champions.

Instead, he likes the reigning European champs, he told FOX’s Jenny Taft.

“It’s really hard to go against Messi. But I feel like Spain’s a better team,” Dart said, “so I’m going to go with Spain.”

🎤 @PostMalone performs at the closing ceremony ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final pic.twitter.com/fa3JLcJLrw

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026

What time does the World Cup final start?

Messi and defending World Cup champions Argentina will kick off the World Cup final against European champions Spain at 1 p.m. MT. The match will be broadcast on FOX in English, and Telemundo in Spanish.

Real Salt Lake is hosting a watch party to celebrate the “Summer of Soccer” on the east plaza at America First Field in Sandy. Pre-game features include a live DJ and entertainment, food trucks, and appearances by RSL and Utah Royals FC players.

Stadium concessions will also be available throughout the match.