Tom Cruise among names set to take part in World Cup closing ceremony
Mission: Impossible star to appear in a pre-game show that will also feature Robbie Williams and Jennifer Hudson
A wide array of performers, from actor Tom Cruise to streamer IShowSpeed, will help close out the World Cup, Fifa announced on Tuesday.
Soccer’s governing body released the lineup for the closing ceremony, which will take place 90 minutes before Sunday’s final. The show is meant to “celebrate the 48 teams’ unforgettable journey” through 16 host cities across three countries, Fifa said in a statement.
IShowSpeed – who has streamed multiple matches – is listed as a performer, while Cruise – who has also been spotted in the stands and performed a stunt at the Paris Olympics’ closing ceremony – is billed as making a “special appearance”. The ceremony will also include performances from Laura Pausini, the Italian singer who helped open the Milan Cortina Olympics in February; Tony winner and Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger; and Robbie Williams, the British singer and former Take That member.
Jennifer Hudson, who boasts the coveted Egot title with an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, will perform the US national anthem.
“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,” said Heimo Schirgi, the World Cup’s chief operating officer.
While Sunday will also feature the tournament’s first half-time show, with a bevy of additional A-list performers, closing ceremonies are not exactly new to the World Cup. The closing ceremony is being produced in partnership with Balich Wonder Studio, led by Marco Balich, who orchestrated the 2022 World Cup’s opening and closing ceremonies in Qatar.
The half-time show will feature Shakira, Madonna and K-pop megastars BTS. Coldplay’s Chris Martin is curating the show. “This will be a historic moment for the Fifa World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world,” the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, said on Instagram.
Fifa has encouraged ticketholders to arrive early, promising that fans “will have an active role to play in the show”. The show begins at 1.30pm ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and kick-off is at 3pm ET.
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