World Cup final adds closing ceremony and first halftime show
Spain and Argentina meet at MetLife Stadium on July 19, with FIFA planning major music performances before and during the match.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
The 2026 World Cup final will feature a pre-match closing ceremony and the first halftime show staged during a World Cup final, according to FIFA and Al Jazeera. Spain will face Argentina on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. local time, or 19:00 GMT, Al Jazeera reported. The stadium, home to the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets, has been called New York-New Jersey Stadium during the tournament and can seat up to 82,500 spectators for football matches.
Pre-match ceremony starts 90 minutes before kickoff
The closing ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. local time, or 17:30 GMT, according to Al Jazeera. FIFA said the event will mark the participation of 48 teams across three host nations and 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA said Post Malone will headline the closing ceremony. The lineup also includes Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and YouTube creator IShowSpeed, while actor Tom Cruise is due to make a special appearance, according to Al Jazeera.
Jennifer Hudson will sing the United States national anthem before the match, Al Jazeera reported. FIFA said more performers and guests are expected to be announced closer to kickoff.
Heimo Schirgi, FIFA’s chief operating officer, said the ceremony would close the tournament through “music, culture and football” before the final. Balich Wonder Studio is producing the ceremony, according to Al Jazeera.
Halftime show could lengthen the break
The halftime performance is expected to begin shortly after 3:45 p.m. local time, or 19:45 GMT, depending on added time in the first half, Al Jazeera reported. FIFA has not confirmed the official length of the interval.
Reports cited by Al Jazeera suggest the break could run between 20 and 25 minutes so crews can install and remove a stage on the pitch. The International Football Association Board’s Laws of the Game say halftime should not exceed 15 minutes, though competition rules may allow a longer interval with the referee’s approval.
FIFA tested a halftime concert at the 2025 Club World Cup final at the same stadium, Al Jazeera reported. That performance used a stage above the stands and the interval lasted just over 24 minutes.
For Sunday’s final, organizers said the stage is designed to be built and removed within minutes, according to Al Jazeera. The report noted that Shakira’s 2024 Copa America final performance delayed the restart by about 26 minutes.
Who is performing at halftime
Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS will headline the halftime show, according to Al Jazeera. Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and New York’s PS22 Chorus are also on the bill, with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curating the performance.
The show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand education access for children, according to FIFA. Bieber said in a statement that he was grateful to take part and that the event was helping children gain access to education.
In the United States, Al Jazeera reported that the match will air in English on FOX and in Spanish on Telemundo and Universo, with streaming on the FOX Sports app, FOX One and Peacock. Coverage is listed for CTV and TSN in Canada, TelevisaUnivision, TV Azteca and ViX in Mexico, and beIN Sports across the Middle East and North Africa.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.