The 2026 FIFA World Cup has broken records in scale and global appeal, and Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium is expected to match that spectacle with one of the most star-studded entertainment line-ups ever assembled for a sporting event.
Hollywood icon Tom Cruise, pop legends Madonna and Shakira, United States President Donald Trump, alongside several other international celebrities, are expected to grace the final between Spain and Argentina.
After more than five weeks of football action featuring over 100 matches across three host nations, the tournament will conclude with a clash between the European and South American giants.
Before the anticipated crowd of more than 80,000 spectators inside MetLife Stadium—and billions of viewers watching across the globe—an elaborate entertainment programme will set the stage for the championship match.
President Trump is also expected to attend the final, adding further political and celebrity attention to an event already regarded as one of the biggest sporting spectacles in history.
The pre-match closing ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. (1730 GMT), with Tom Cruise leading a lineup that includes British singer Robbie Williams, former Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger and Academy Award-winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson, who will perform the United States national anthem.
Cruise’s appearance has generated considerable anticipation following his dramatic performance at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he descended from the roof of the Stade de France in a stunt that became one of the defining moments of the event.
Fans are now eager to see what the Hollywood actor has planned for the World Cup final, with many expecting another memorable performance.
American rapper and singer Post Malone will also feature during the pre-match festivities, alongside popular online streamer IShowSpeed, whose growing popularity among football fans has made him a familiar face throughout the tournament.
Historic Halftime Show
The biggest entertainment attraction of the evening, however, will be the halftime performance—the first official halftime show ever staged during a FIFA World Cup final.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has already described the production as “the biggest in the world,” signalling the governing body’s ambition to elevate the tournament’s entertainment value.
Music icon Madonna, who recently released a new album at the age of 67, will headline the performance alongside Canadian pop star Justin Bieber, globally acclaimed K-pop group BTS and Colombian superstar Shakira.
Shakira will also perform “Dai Dai,” the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, recorded in collaboration with Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy.
The halftime production will also feature internationally renowned Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and a New York-based choir.
British rock band Coldplay will also play a major creative role in the performance, with frontman Chris Martin overseeing the artistic direction of the entire halftime show.
Beyond entertainment, the performance will also support a charitable cause.
According to FIFA, proceeds generated from the halftime event will help fund an education initiative jointly supported by the world football governing body and the international advocacy organisation Global Citizen.
Questions have already emerged over whether the elaborate production can fit within football’s traditional 15-minute halftime interval.
Given the logistics involved in constructing and dismantling the stage, observers believe the break could extend well beyond the standard duration.
A similar situation occurred during the FIFA Club World Cup final held at the same MetLife Stadium last year, when halftime lasted more than 24 minutes to accommodate the entertainment programme.
With football, music, politics and Hollywood converging on one stage, Sunday’s World Cup final is expected to deliver one of the most memorable closing ceremonies in the history of international sport.
