The FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony lineup is confirmed, with Post Malone set to headline and Tom Cruise among the stars appearing before the final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, 19 July 2026.
FIFA has built the send-off into the biggest entertainment moment in the tournament’s history, pairing the closing ceremony with a first-ever final halftime show and a national anthem performance, as reported by ESPN.
The whole production will play out before a global television audience expected to run into the hundreds of millions.
Who is performing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony
Post Malone will headline the ceremony itself, joined by a run of famous faces walking out before kick-off. Actor Tom Cruise, streamer IShowSpeed, British singer Robbie Williams, former Pussycat Dolls frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger and Italian star Laura Pausini are all slated to appear, giving the send-off a spread across music, film and internet culture.
EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson will sing the national anthem, lending the occasion one of the most decorated voices in American entertainment.
The broader spectacle is tied to FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, which is aiming to raise $100 million to widen access to education and sport for children around the world.
A World Cup 2026 final unlike any before
A dedicated halftime performance and a celebrity-packed closing ceremony push football’s showpiece closer to the American sports-entertainment model long associated with the Super Bowl.
Previous World Cup finals leaned on short ceremonial interludes rather than full concert productions, making the 2026 edition in the United States, Canada and Mexico a clear break from tradition.
What to expect from the World Cup 2026 halftime show
The closing ceremony runs alongside the first World Cup final halftime show, headlined by BTS, Madonna and Shakira, which Swisher Post has covered separately.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has promised a production on a scale the tournament has never attempted, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin through the non-profit Global Citizen.
Infantino set out his ambition for the day in blunt terms.
“As the world unites for the most significant football match in history on Sunday, 19 July 2026 at the New York New Jersey Stadium, this groundbreaking spectacle, curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, will celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle,” he said.
Chris Martin framed the show around inclusion, saying it will be “all about togetherness… and everyone’s invited.” Infantino had earlier teased the scale, promising “it’s not one, it’s more than one. And it will be the biggest in the world.”
Attention now turns to Sunday, when the performers step out and the two World Cup finalists settle the title.
