The biggest World Cup in history is about to bow out in style as FIFA has announced the entertainment plans for the final.

FIFA has confirmed the closing ceremony for the 2026 final will take place on Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium — and it’s shaping up to be a spectacle that pushes the pre-match show well beyond anything a men’s final has served up before.

There’s also the halftime show which will look to rival the scenes we typically see from the Super Bowl Final as football takes a leaf out of the book of its American brother. Here’s everything you need to know.

World Cup 2026 Closing Ceremony Time

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Fans who are excited for the entertainment will need to prepare themselves early, as the closing ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. local time, roughly 90 minutes before kickoff of the final, which gets underway at 3:00 p.m. ET. For UK viewers, that means a 6:30 p.m. BST start, with the match to follow at 8 p.m.

On the ground, the stadium gates open at 11 a.m. local time, four hours before the match, and FIFA has been keen to stress that fans in the stands will play an active role in the show, encouraging an atmosphere worthy of the occasion.

The whole thing is produced in partnership with Balich Wonder Studio, the creative outfit behind several major international ceremonies, including the opening and closing shows at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Who Will Perform at the 2026 World Cup Closing Ceremony?

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FIFA haven’t held back in bringing the superstar names to the final. Most notably, one of the cinema greats in Tom Cruise will make a special appearance during the pre-match festivities, while the likes of IShowSpeed, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger and Robbie Williams are all scheduled to perform.

Cruise’s involvement echoes his showstopping cameo at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics — though FIFA is staying tight-lipped on exactly what he’ll do this time, but knowing the Mission Impossible star’s previous feats, it could mean anything from parachuting in to walking on top of the stadium, or both.

The theme is a familiar one. FIFA are celebrating the conclusion of the first-ever 48-team World Cup, bringing together music, culture and football after a month-long tournament spanning the United States, Canada and Mexico. In FIFA’s words, the ceremony aims to bring the tournament “full circle” before the champions are crowned.

More performers and special guests are expected to be announced in the days before the final, meaning the glittering lineup may yet grow. A key distinction, however, is that this is separate from the final’s headline act.

This is because, for the first time in men’s World Cup history, the match itself will feature a halftime show, with the likes of Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Justin Bieber attached. Fans are pointing towards the forced ‘Americanisation’ of the sacred competition, but it very much follows the added theatrics we saw at the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup last year.

Who is Singing the US National Anthem?

That honour falls to Jennifer Hudson, an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner — an artist who has achieved the full ‘EGOT’. Hudson will deliver the United States national anthem ahead of the final, billed by FIFA as a “special rendition.”

Given the weight of Super Bowl anthem moments down the years, expect this to be one of the afternoon’s most talked-about moments before a ball is even kicked.

While most will believe the World Cup final is the only game left to be played at the summer tournament, there is still the third-place play-off to come. It has now been rebranded as the Bronze Final, but it’s hard to imagine that helping raise excitement for the match.

Both England and France will be devastated to have lost their respective semi-finals, with Argentina and Spain advancing in their stead. But players from Thomas Tuchel and Didier Deschamps’ squads have had to stay on, training this week as they hang around to play this final match to see who officially will finish third at the 2026 World Cup.

The game will take place on Saturday, July 18, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Speaking to the press ahead of the fixture, France defender Ibrahima Konate has revealed how his teammates really feel about the match.

Ibrahima Konate: ‘No One Wants To Play in Third-Place Play-Off’

Speaking to the press ahead of the game against England, Konate did not pull any punches as he bluntly explained:

He was also quoted as saying: “Indeed, it was not the objective. How do we mobilise and motivate ourselves? Well, I believe that as French players for this team, many players would have loved to compete and play this game.

“We wanted to play the final, but we are still representing France and it is the dream of many people to wear the shirt, the jersey, and sing the Marseillaise therefore we need to respect the jersey we’re wearing.”

Thomas Tuchel Also Not Keen on England vs France Meeting

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Konate made reference to England manager Thomas Tuchel, who was just as damning about the third-place play-off. Speaking to the press ahead of the game, the German said:

“None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match. We demand the most of ourselves. That’s just the nature of being competitive. They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve that. Everyone plays to win the World Cup, but that’s how it is.”

He did add, however, “We have one less day of recovery than France, but we will do it with professionalism.”

That said, there is one player who will be motivated to do well in the game. Indeed, Kylian Mbappe is tied level with Lionel Messi on eight goals as he aims to win the Golden Boot. Not only that, but the Frenchman is also just one strike (20) behind the Argentine (21) as the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup history.

Speaking ahead of the game against England, Mbappe claimed his main motivation was to give manager Deschamps a good send-off in his final game in charge of France. He explained:

“Nothing changed about what Didier means to us as a French people. As a manager, as a player, he wrote an amazing story.

“There’s one game left for him, so we’re going to try to play the best game for him because he deserves it, and also the fans deserve to have a win and finish third in this World Cup.”

After his big comeback to the UFC following a five-year absence ended in disappointment, Conor McGregor has responded to fans who claimed his loss to Max Holloway was down to ‘years of hard drugs.’

The highly anticipated main event at UFC 329 saw McGregor take on former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway. The Irishman looked to make a fast start, opening with a high kick that saw him fall to the canvas. Bouncing back up, he looked to land with another, and once more fell to the canvas.

Holloway looked to ground and pound momentarily before letting McGregor back to his feet. The latter then looked to land with a punch, but once again lost his balance.

It was soon apparent the Irishman was unable to continue owing to a knee injury, leading to boos around the T-Mobile Arena as the fight ended in heartbreak for McGregor and disappointment for legions of fans after just 69 seconds.

Conor McGregor & Max Holloway Want Trilogy Fight

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Following the fight, Holloway confirmed there will be a trilogy fight, as the Hawaii native said “it sucks” the fight ended the way it did, given all the hype.

“We have to run it back one more time. We need one more,” he stressed.

McGregor, too, said Holloway is the man he wants to face in what will be the final fight of his current UFC contract.

Responding to fans on social media, McGregor wrote “it has to be Holloway” when asked who he’d like his last fight to be against.

That was one of several responses the 38-year-old superstar gave, with other fans asking him about his drug abuse and if that was the reason behind his defeat.

Conor McGregor Responds to Drug Use Allegations

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Since his last UFC fight five years ago, McGregor has become an increasingly controversial figure. There have been social media outbursts, court cases, a potential Irish presidential run, and incidences of substance abuse.

However, he was keen to assure fans he’s now turned the page after his defeat at UFC 329.

“I felt fully calm and relaxed,” he told one fan on social media. “It was going to the shop for my lunch. Lunch being the opponent.”

When another claimed “That’s what years of hard drugs does” to him, McGregor responded that it was nonsense.

He assured his hematocrit was 48% and that his engine, oxygen, and blood were “never in better condition.” Hematocrit is the percentage of your blood made up of red blood cells, carrying oxygen around your body.

When another asked if he was on the drugs again, McGregor asserted he has not and will not ever take any mind-altering substances.

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas via Imagn Images

Instead, with the fight going the way it did, McGregor said he was awaiting surgery and planning his recovery, with zero mind-altering substances entering his body.

“However, it went the way it went, and I am awaiting my surgery and planning my recovery, so zero mind-altering substances have entered my body whatsoever. More time under extreme discipline is required and that is it. I find extreme discipline most enjoyable anyway, so happy days.”