This year's World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday will draw an unprecedented roster of entertainment talent alongside the competition between Spain and Argentina. The event promises to blend the sport's grandest stage with Hollywood's brightest stars.
Tom Cruise will headline the pre-game ceremony at 1:30 pm, following his death-defying performance at the 2024 Olympic closing ceremony in Paris, where he abseiled from the stadium roof. He'll share the spotlight with Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Jennifer Hudson, who will perform the US national anthem.
Post Malone and streamer IShowSpeed will also be on hand for the opening festivities. US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the match.
The real spectacle, however, arrives at halftime—the first in World Cup history. FIFA president Gianni Infantino called it the "biggest in the world."
Madonna, just 67 and fresh off releasing a new album, will command the 11-minute show alongside Justin Bieber, BTS and Shakira. The K-pop giants and the Colombian singer-songwriter will anchor a performance that also features Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and a New York chorus.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated the entire production. Shakira's collaboration with Burna Boy, "Dai Dai," serves as the tournament's official song.
The halftime show will benefit an education initiative run jointly by FIFA and Global Citizen. Organizers haven't confirmed whether the elaborate stage setup and teardown will extend the break beyond its standard 15 minutes.
At last year's Club World Cup final at the same venue, the halftime break stretched to over 24 minutes. That precedent suggests Sunday's entertainment could similarly eat into the second-half countdown.
With more than 100 matches played across three countries over five weeks, the tournament culminates with 80,000 spectators in the stadium and billions watching globally. The celebration promises to match the scale of the competition itself.
