FIFA announces star-studded World Cup 2026 closing ceremony in New Jersey

FIFA packed its World Cup 2026 closing ceremony with global celebrity names, adding Tom Cruise to a lineup that already included Laura Pausini, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger. The ceremony was set for New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, 19 July, at 13:30 local time, and FIFA framed it as a spectacular send-off for what it called the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup.

The halftime program pushed the same idea further. FIFA said the tournament’s first-ever halftime show included Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS, a roster that puts the World Cup squarely in competition with the kind of cross-platform spectacle usually reserved for major music awards, stadium tours and streaming-era event programming.

The football itself remained the anchor, with Spain facing Argentina in the final. FIFA’s own World Cup page told fans not to miss the final and to check the schedule and where to watch in their region, a reminder that the governing body is not just selling a match in New Jersey but a global broadcast moment designed to travel across time zones and screens.

The celebrity-heavy lineup reflects how far FIFA has pushed the World Cup beyond a tournament format. By layering a closing ceremony, a first-time halftime show and a final built around two of the sport’s biggest national teams, the organization has turned the championship weekend into a full entertainment package. That approach broadens the event’s reach, but it also raises the question of whether football is still the main attraction or whether the spectacle around it has become part of the product itself.