The FIFA World Cup final will not only crown a new world champion but also deliver one of the biggest entertainment spectacles in football history, with global superstars including Madonna, Burna Boy, Tom Cruise, Justin Bieber, BTS, Shakira and several other celebrities set to headline the event at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The expanded World Cup, which featured more than 100 matches across three host countries, comes to a close with Spain taking on Argentina in the final. Before the champions are decided, however, more than 80,000 fans inside the stadium and billions of television viewers worldwide will be treated to a star-studded celebration.
Among the dignitaries expected to attend is United States President Donald Trump, who will witness the historic final from the stands.
The day’s entertainment begins with the pre-match closing ceremony at 1:30 p.m. (1730 GMT). Hollywood actor Tom Cruise will make a special appearance alongside British pop icon Robbie Williams, Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, and Academy Award-winning singer Jennifer Hudson, who has been chosen to perform the United States national anthem.
Cruise’s appearance has generated significant anticipation following his spectacular stunt during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where he famously descended from the roof of the Stade de France. Fans and commentators are hoping the Hollywood star delivers another memorable performance at the World Cup final.
Also expected to attend are American rapper and singer Post Malone and popular content creator and streamer IShowSpeed, adding further star power to the occasion.
The biggest attraction, however, will be the 11-minute halftime show, the first halftime entertainment performance ever staged during a FIFA World Cup final. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has described the production as “the biggest in the world.”
Headlining the historic performance is music legend Madonna, who recently released a new album at the age of 67. She will perform alongside global pop sensation Justin Bieber, South Korean K-pop supergroup BTS, and Colombian superstar Shakira.
Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy will also be represented through Shakira’s performance of “Dai Dai,” the tournament’s official song, which features the African music star.
The entertainment lineup will also feature renowned Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and a New York chorus, accompanied by British rock band Coldplay. The halftime show has been curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who worked with organisers to produce what FIFA hopes will become the benchmark for future World Cup finals.
Beyond entertainment, the halftime show will serve a humanitarian purpose by raising funds for a global education initiative jointly championed by FIFA and the international advocacy organisation Global Citizen.
Organisers have acknowledged that the elaborate stage production could extend halftime beyond the traditional 15-minute break required in football. The process of constructing and dismantling the stage is expected to take additional time.
A similar scenario occurred during last year’s Club World Cup final, which was also held at MetLife Stadium in the New York suburbs, where halftime stretched to more than 24 minutes due to the scale of the entertainment production.
With a World Cup title at stake, a groundbreaking halftime show, an array of Hollywood, music and sports celebrities, and a global audience expected to watch, Sunday’s final promises to be one of the most memorable events in the history of football and live entertainment.
