World Cup 2026 closing ceremony features Tom Cruise, Post Malone, and first halftime show

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain was preceded by a star-studded closing ceremony at MetLife Stadium, featuring Tom Cruise, Post Malone, IShowSpeed, and a historic first-ever halftime show.

Ceremony kickoff

IShowSpeed opened the ceremony with his song "Champions", followed by Post Malone and Swae Lee performing "Sunflower" amid pyrotechnics. The field was covered with a mural depicting New York landmarks like the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty. Source: CNN

Tom Cruise's speech

Tom Cruise delivered an emotional speech, calling football "a language spoken without words" and saying it "turns strangers into fans". Source: Infobae However, some reports noted that Cruise was not visible on the field, leading to brief confusion. Source: La Voz

Musical performances

Jennifer Hudson sang the US national anthem, while Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, and Nicole Scherzinger performed the official FIFA hymn "Desire". Source: Listin Diario Tenor Christopher Macchio also performed "America the Beautiful". Source: Milenio

Halftime show

For the first time in World Cup history, a halftime show was held, featuring Madonna, BTS, and others. Chris Martin introduced it as a collective moment. Source: Diario Libre

A minor discrepancy emerged: while most sources confirm Laura Pausini performed, one outlet claimed she was absent.