A Stunning Finale to the 2026 World Cup

In the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump and many prominent figures, led by Spain’s King Felipe VI, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, New York’s MetLife Stadium transformed into the “world’s largest stage” yesterday evening for the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina (the defending champions) and Spain (the European champions). The match concluded after five weeks of competition and 104 games played across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking the first time the tournament featured 48 national teams.

In front of more than 80,000 spectators, the extraordinary closing ceremony, which blended football, music, and entertainment, kicked off with performances by some of the world’s biggest stars in large-scale artistic shows.

American star Post Malone headlined the ceremony’s segments, alongside other global celebrities including Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robbie Williams, as well as a special appearance by Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. Global star Jennifer Hudson delivered a special rendition of the U.S. national anthem, while singer Christopher Macchio—known as “America’s Tenor”—performed a special version of “America the Beautiful.” The World Cup final witnessed an unprecedented event in the tournament’s history, as FIFA decided to organize the first halftime entertainment show during the final match, lasting 11 minutes and inspired by the famous U.S. “Super Bowl” halftime shows. The ceremony was hosted by the trio Madonna, Shakira, and the South Korean group BTS, in a performance designed to be the first of its kind in World Cup final history. Canadian star Justin Bieber also joined the list of participants in the ceremony, which aimed to raise funds for an educational program run by FIFA and the non-governmental organization Global Citizen.