FIFA names Tom Cruise, Robbie Williams and Jennifer Hudson for World Cup closing ceremony on 19 July

Star-studded lineup revealed

FIFA unveiled the closing ceremony lineup for the 2026 World Cup on 14 July, five days before the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The event, which will take place 90 minutes before kick-off on 19 July, will feature performances by Italian singer Laura Pausini, Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger, British artist Robbie Williams, and streamer IShowSpeed. Tom Cruise is set to make a “special appearance,” though FIFA did not elaborate on the nature of his involvement. The ceremony, produced in partnership with Balich Wonder Studio, aims to “celebrate the 48 teams’ unforgettable journey” through 16 host cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Echoing the spirit of the opening ceremonies, which welcomed the world to the greatest stage in Canada, Mexico and the United States, the closing ceremony will bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 full circle through music, culture and football, before we kick off the highly anticipated match that will crown the champions of this groundbreaking tournament.

From national anthem to special appearances

Jennifer Hudson, one of the few EGOT winners, will deliver a “special rendition” of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the match. The inclusion of Tom Cruise, who previously rappelled from the roof of the Stade de France during the Paris Olympics handover, raises anticipation for a similarly theatrical moment. Scherzinger shared on Instagram that she is “grateful to be part of this unforgettable celebration,” while Pausini wrote that she is “proud that an Italian voice will be part of this global celebration alongside Robbie and Nicole.” The closing ceremony will be followed by the first-ever World Cup halftime show, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and featuring BTS, Justin Bieber, Madonna and Shakira.

The road to the final

Only four of the original 48 teams remain in contention. France faced Spain on 14 July at Dallas Stadium, and England will take on Argentina on 15 July at Atlanta Stadium. The winners will meet in the championship match at MetLife Stadium, which has already drawn record US television audiences: the US team’s round-of-16 loss to Belgium attracted 33.086 million viewers, peaking at 41 million. England’s quarter-final victory over Norway drew a peak of 16.8 million viewers in the UK, the largest British audience of the tournament.

Logistics and fan involvement

FIFA has urged ticketholders to arrive early, with gates opening several hours before the 3 p.m. ET kick-off. The closing ceremony will start at 1:30 p.m. ET, and fans “will have an active role to play in the show,” according to the governing body. Further artists and special guests are expected to be announced in the coming days.