2026 World Cup Closing Ceremony Acts: Every Celebrity Performer, Full Details

With the World cup coming to a close, FIFA announced the details of the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony that will take place prior to the start of the final.

Unlike the unprecedented, Super Bowl-esque halftime show that will also occur on Sunday, closing ceremonies have become synonymous with the pre-World Cup final celebrations.

The closing ceremony “will celebrate the 48 teams’ unforgettable journey across the three host countries and 16 host cities throughout the tournament,” FIFA announced.

“Echoing the spirit of the opening ceremonies, which welcomed the world to the greatest stage in Canada, Mexico and the United States,” 2026 World Cup chief operating officer, Heimo Schirgi, said. “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.”

Here’s all you need to know about the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony.

Who Will Perform at the 2026 World Cup Closing Ceremony

A number of high-profile actors, musicians and entertainers headline the lineup of performers for the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony.

Italian Grammy winner Laura Pausini will be among the performers, along with U.S. singer and Tony winner Nicole Scherzinger. British frontman Robbie Williams, who performed at the 2018 World Cup opening ceremony, is also on the list of performers.

Famous internet personality IShowSpeed, who released a World Cup song prior to the tournament that FIFA ended up including in its official album, will also feature in the closing ceremony performance after regularly attending matches throughout the tournament.

Iconic Hollywood actor, Tom Cruise, will make a “special appearance” in the closing ceremony, much like he did when he jumped-off the roof of the Stade de France in a stunt during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) Jennifer Hudson will sing the U.S. national anthem prior to the start of the final.

Balich Wonder Studio is tasked with producing the entire event, the same production company that planned the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. More performers are expected to be announced before Sunday’s final.

When Will The World Cup Closing Ceremony Start?

The 2026 World Cup closing ceremony is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. PT, 6:30 p.m. BST), exactly 90 minutes before the scheduled kick off time of the final.

FIFA made sure to motivate fans that will pack the stands at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, to get to their seats early, stating that “fans at the stadium will have an active role to play in the show.” Gates at the stadium will open at 11 a.m. ET.

There’s no exact details regarding how long the closing ceremony will last. However, based on the duration of the Qatar 2022 closing ceremony and the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony, Sunday’s closing performance should be 15–20 minutes long.

This would also allow for the pitch to be clear from any stage design in time for the two finalists to complete their final warm up before the final without any delays.

Date of the 2026 World Cup Closing Ceremony

The 2026 World Cup closing ceremony will take on Sunday, July 19, serving as the opening act of the tournament final.

The unprecedented 48-team tournament comes to an end after five-plus action-packed weeks, and the closing ceremony will help get audiences ready for what is expected to be a thrilling 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.

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