Massive closing ceremony held at 2026 World Cup final
At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, a colorful closing ceremony took place before the final match of the FIFA World Cup.
The ceremony began 10 minutes later than scheduled.
The delay was caused by heightened security measures due to the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump at the match. Three American groups, each with about 50 people, took to the field and recreated the rhythm of a "beating heart" inside the stadium. The percussion performers wore gold, black, and blue costumes. A large black-and-gold canvas was spread across the field, and a stage in the shape of a soccer ball was set up in the center circle. The canvas featured the most famous symbols of the United States, including the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.
American blogger IShowSpeed was the first to take the stage. Accompanied by dozens of dancers, he performed the song Champions. The artist wore a white suit in a casual style. IShowSpeed began his performance by tossing a gold soccer ball into the air and ended the number by catching it again. Before the teams warmed up, the official program concluded with a joint performance by Post Malone and Swae Lee. They performed their collaborative track for the spectators, wrapping up the official portion of the pre-match show.
After the closing ceremony, the traditional stage for the players began as the teams took the field to warm up. Following a short break, the second part of the World Cup closing ceremony took place.
The U.S. national anthem was performed by singer Jennifer Hudson. Then Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, and Nicole Scherzinger, dressed in blue suits, took the stage and performed the official FIFA tournament song Desire. At that moment, volunteers holding flags of all the countries that participated in the World Cup gathered in the center of the field.
Afterward, the ceremony for the presentation of the World Cup trophy was held. The trophy was carried onto the field by Spaniard Andres Iniesta and Argentine Mario Kempes in a special case made by Louis Vuitton.
Hollywood actor Tom Cruise then took the stage and delivered a welcoming speech.
"48 countries, three host nations witnessed the greatness of this tournament. People around the world shared moments of joy and hope and will never forget this championship. Football speaks a language that everyone understands. It is a force that unites people, turning rivals into friends and reminding us of our shared values. This story belongs to all of us," Cruise said.
During the live broadcast, U.S. President Donald Trump was also shown arriving at the stadium to watch the final match.
The start of the match was announced by famous American ring announcers, brothers Michael and Bruce Buffer.
