The 2026 World Cup final will feature two major entertainment spectacles at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19: a closing ceremony before kick-off and a Super Bowl-style half-time show.
While World Cup finals have traditionally staged closing ceremonies before the match, this year marks the Fifa tournament’s first midway performance.
The previous final in Qatar had a pre-match ceremony titled A Night to Remember, featuring Davido, Jungkook and Ozuna in 2022, while the 2018 final in Russia featured Will Smith, Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi performing before kick-off.
For its separate half-time show as part of the expanded format, Fifa has enlisted Coldplay frontman Chris Martin as curator, marking an intriguing crossover between football and pop culture.
Here is what we know about both events.
Who is performing at the World Cup final closing ceremony?
The entertainment begins well before kick-off with the closing ceremony, a tradition thought to go back to the 1994 World Cup in the US.
Beginning at 1.30pm local time (9.30pm in the UAE), 90 minutes before kick-off, the event will feature performances by American singer and rapper Post Malone, Italian singer Laura Pausini, American singer Nicole Scherzinger and British pop star Robbie Williams.
American actor Tom Cruise is also due to make what organisers describe as a “special appearance” – akin to his flying appearance at the Paris 2024 Olympic closing ceremony. At that ceremony, Cruise rappelled from the roof of the Stade de France before taking part in the handover of the Olympic flag to Los Angeles.
American actress and singer Jennifer Hudson will deliver a rendition of the US national anthem before the final. The national anthems of Spain and Argentina will later be played as the teams line up before kick-off.
According to Fifa, the show will reflect on what has been the biggest staging of the tournament, featuring 48 teams and matches played across Canada, Mexico and the US. The organisation says the ceremony will bring the competition “full circle through music, culture and football”.
Who is on the World Cup final half-time show bill?
The World Cup final officially kicks off at 3pm local time (11pm in the UAE). The half-time show should take place here at about midnight, depending on any added time in the first half.
The performance is expected to run for 11 minutes.
Pop star Justin Bieber is the latest addition to the star-studded bill, joining Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Burna Boy.
Shakira and Burna Boy have already appeared during the tournament, performing at the opening ceremony on June 11.
Also on the bill is Venezuelan classical music star Gustavo Dudamel, who is the conductor of the New York Philharmonic.
Intriguingly, PS22 Chorus, the hometown Staten Island school choir from New York, has also been added to the line-up to perform alongside Coldplay.
Characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets will also reportedly appear, tying into the show’s wider education theme and its connection to the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund.
No set list has been announced for the event and, judging by the opening ceremonies in the US, Mexico and Canada – which packed many stars into limited slots – chances are we should expect snippets rather than full performances.
There is a high chance that Dai Dai will be performed again, as it is the official tournament song by Colombian star Shakira and Nigeria’s Burna Boy. Given the song received a muted reception at the ceremony in Mexico, perhaps Shakira may bring back Waka Waka, her song for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa that became a blockbuster hit.
Beyond that, the production has limited time to fit four co-headliners, a guest artist, a conductor, a choir, Coldplay and children’s television characters. Full-length songs are unlikely and a rapid medley would make more sense.
How do Madonna, BTS and Bieber fit the occasion?
Madonna’s inclusion is not merely a star-power grab.
Her new nostalgic album, Confessions II, was released this month and includes songs reflecting on her career rise in New York, the city she moved to in 1978 as a 20-year-old chasing a music career.
Do not necessarily expect a greatest-hits set, however. Fifa loves to promote its own music ecosystem, so Madonna could instead appear with Colombian singer Feid to perform Read My Lips, released as part of the bonus edition of the official Fifa World Cup 2026 Album.
Meanwhile, BTS will hit the global stage as part of their reunion after fulfilling South Korea’s military enlistment requirements. It will be interesting to see whether their appearance will showcase new comeback material or if they will come together with Coldplay for a performance of the 2021 joint hit My Universe.
As arguably Canada’s most successful pop music export, Justin Bieber – fresh from headlining April's Coachella festival in the US – is an obvious representative for one of the three host nations.
The PS22 Chorus, meanwhile, first made a major online impression in 2009 with viral performances of Coldplay songs, including Viva La Vida. In 2023, they also serenaded Chris Martin on Zoom after winning an online competition.
Where can UAE viewers watch the closing ceremony and half-time show?
In the UAE and wider Middle East and North Africa region, the World Cup is being streamed on Tod by beIN. The closing ceremony begins at 9.30pm UAE time, while the final kicks off at 11pm. The half-time show should begin at about midnight, depending on any added time in the first half.
