The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be held on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The match will begin at 3 PM EDT, though some sources note it could start at 3:30 PM EDT, highlighting a slight scheduling discrepancy[s1-s7,s8].

For the first time in World Cup history, the final will feature an official halftime show lasting approximately 11 minutes. This will extend the usual 15-minute halftime break to up to 30 minutes, allowing a major entertainment segment in the middle of the match [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].

The halftime performers will include global stars Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, and BTS. Additional acts featured are Coldplay, Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus, and characters from Sesame Street, creating a diverse lineup across music genres and audiences [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].

The closing ceremony will begin at 1:30 PM EDT, 90 minutes before the kickoff. It will showcase a blend of music, culture, and football celebrating the tournament’s journey across 48 teams, 16 host cities, and three host countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States[s3,s6,s7,s9-s12].

Performers for the closing ceremony include Hollywood star Tom Cruise making a special appearance, Italian singer Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, British singer Robbie Williams, and popular streamer IShowSpeed. Tom Cruise’s participation follows his memorable stunt at the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony, where he descended from the stadium roof and rode a motorcycle as part of the Olympic handoff to Los Angeles 2028[s1-s7,s9-s12].

Jennifer Hudson, an EGOT winner, will perform the US national anthem before the final match starts[s1-s12].

FIFA Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi said the 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" [7]. FIFA President Gianni Infantino added that Post Malone will perform to "celebrate the tournament’s journey and ignite the atmosphere before the world’s attention turns to the two finalists." He called the closing ceremony a moment to "set the tone for a historic FIFA World Cup final" [8].

Spain secured their place in the final by defeating France and will face the winner of the England vs. Argentina semifinal scheduled for July 16 [1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10]. The closing ceremony and halftime show promise an unprecedented entertainment experience ahead of crowning the 2026 champions.