Seeing A Football On WhatsApp Status Likes? Here's Why The Heart Is Missing

If you opened Meta-owned messaging and calling app WhatsApp on Sunday and liked a Status update, you may have spotted a something different today. Instead of the usual heart animation, a football emoji briefly plays on the screen.

The change is a temporary feature introduced by Meta on WhatsApp ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Argentina and Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

Users began spotting the football reaction as excitement built around the tournament decider. The special animation replaces the standard heart when a Status update is liked, giving the app a World Cup-themed look for the day.

The football reaction is part of a broader set of features WhatsApp has rolled out during the tournament. In recent weeks, the platform has introduced football-themed stickers, emojis and visual effects to mark key moments of the competition.

The feature is expected to remain available until the final ends.

The timing is important as the Argentina-Spain clash is already being billed as one of the most notable Football World Cup finals in history. It will be the first World Cup final since FIFA introduced its rankings in 1992 to feature the world's top two ranked teams, with Argentina entering as No. 1 and Spain as No. 2.

Lionel Messi's side are aiming to become the first men's team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup, while Spain are chasing only the second title in their history after their triumph in 2010.