The 2026 FIFA World Cup final, held on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, drew a significant number of celebrities from various fields. The match, which featured Argentina and Spain, was preceded by closing ceremonies and included a first-ever halftime show for the tournament.
The event’s star power was evident throughout the tournament, beginning with the opening ceremonies that featured performances by Shakira, Michael Bublé, and Katy Perry. FIFA Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi noted that the closing festivities were designed to match this energy, introducing a halftime show to the sport’s biggest stage for the first time in World Cup history.
Halftime show and closing ceremony performances
The inaugural halftime show was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and supported the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Headlining acts included Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and BTS, representing the United States, Colombia, Canada, and South Korea, respectively. These artists showcased a global range of music during their performances.
The four headliners were reportedly joined by British rock band Coldplay, Nigerian singer Burna Boy, Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel, and New York City’s PS22 Chorus. Additionally, characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets were part of the show. Justin Bieber expressed gratitude for being part of the halftime show, highlighting its role in expanding access to education for children globally.
Madonna opened the halftime show with her song “Music,” accompanied by Brazilian soccer legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. She entered the stadium on a dune buggy. Gustavo Dudamel led an orchestra, which included musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, through “Seven Nation Army.” The Muppets house band, featuring Animal, also contributed to the performance.
K-pop group BTS performed their hit “Dynamite” in red and black attire. Jason Sudeikis, in his character Ted Lasso, along with Brendan Hunt, encouraged Justin Bieber, who then performed “Everything Hallelujah” with an acoustic guitar. Shakira and Burna Boy followed with “Dai Dai,” the official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was heard before all 104 kickoffs during the tournament. Shakira performed barefoot in a dress of yellow and pink feathers, surrounded by dancers, including children.
The halftime show concluded with the PS22 Chorus of elementary-school students from Staten Island, backed by Gustavo Dudamel and joined by Chris Martin, Shakira, and various Muppets and Sesame Street characters, such as Kermit, Miss Piggy, Count von Count, and Cookie Monster.
The World Cup’s closing ceremony featured Jennifer Hudson performing the U.S. national anthem. Other performers included Post Malone, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, and IShowSpeed. FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the ceremony would “set the tone for a historic FIFA World Cup final, uniting the passion of 48 teams, 16 host cities and millions of fans on one unforgettable stage.”
Jennifer Hudson, an EGOT winner, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” in a white suit with red, white, and blue trim, standing before a bank of flags. Spanish Brass played Spain’s instrumental “La Marcha Real,” followed by Argentina’s “Himno Nacional Argentino,” sung by pop star María Becerra, who wore a dress reminiscent of the Argentine flag.
Robbie Williams performed his FIFA anthem “Desire,” wearing a blue bedazzled track suit, joined by Nicole Scherzinger and Italian singer Laura Pausini. IShowSpeed performed his World Cup-themed song “Champions.” Post Malone sang a new song, “Chrome Heartbreaker,” and was joined by Swae Lee to perform their 2018 duet “Sunflower.” Actor Tom Cruise delivered a speech, celebrating the tournament for bringing the world together.
Notable attendees at the final
Many celebrities were spotted at the MetLife Stadium for the final match. Among those seen were Donald Trump, David Beckham, Kylie Jenner, MrBeast, Winnie Harlow, Odell Beckham Jr., Julia Garner, and Gayle King.
David Beckham attended with his wife Victoria and sons Romeo and Cruz, along with Romeo’s girlfriend Kim Turbull and Cruz’s girlfriend Jackie Apostel. Music power couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé were also present. Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were seen together, cheering during the match.
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union were seen on the FIFA Gold Carpet event before the final. Hoyeon, the actress from Squid Games, and Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz presented the Louis Vuitton trophy trunk containing the FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy. Tom Brady, who had participated in a World Cup event at the 2026 Fanatics Fest in New York City earlier in the week, was also in attendance.
Indian actor and filmmaker Mohanlal shared on social media that he was at the final. Luciana, born in Argentina, and her husband Matt Damon were present, with Luciana wearing Argentina‘s colours. Actress Anya Taylor-Joy, whose parents are Argentine, watched the game with her husband Malcolm McRae. Thea Booysen and MrBeast arrived together on the FIFA Gold Carpet. Jessica Alba and Danny Ramirez also attended the game. Mexican musician Peso Pluma was seated near Timothee Chalamet’s father, journalist Marc Chalamet.
The star presence extended to a press conference ahead of the final at Fanatics Fest in New York on Friday, July 17, where Kevin Durant took a selfie with figures like Tom Brady, Kevin Hart, Travis Scott, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Rubin, and Novak Djokovic, alongside finalists Rodri, Emiliano Martínez, and Lionel Messi.
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Source: forbes.com
