FIFA announced that Post Malone will headline the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony, with the performance taking place before the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET, giving the bill ninety minutes to set the tone before kickoff.
The move makes Post Malone the latest cross-genre star to be woven into a tournament that has already made live music part of its identity. The 18-time Grammy nominee brings six Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs and three Billboard 200 No. 1 albums into a single set, prompting FIFA to tease a “landmark performance” in Wednesday’s official announcement.
More Than Just a Headliner
The closing ceremony is not a one-act show. FIFA also confirmed that the pre-match bill includes:
- Jennifer Hudson — delivering the national anthem before the game
- Nicole Scherzinger
- Laura Pausini
- Robbie Williams
- Tom Cruise and streamer IShowSpeed — listed as additional participants
That breadth underscores how FIFA wants the final to function as an entertainment event first and a sporting final second. The organization has spent this entire tournament layering music moments into every marquee match, and the final is the apex of that strategy.
A Tournament Built for Spectacle
This is the same tournament in which the England vs. Norway quarterfinal featured a live pop halftime performance, and in which Spain and Argentina have dominated the knockout stage to set up a final loaded with narrative. The addition of Post Malone to the closing ceremony ensures that even fans arriving early will be served a meaningful spectacle rather than standard pre-match programming.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino framed the moment in global terms: “We are thrilled to have so many stars taking to the pitch, from both the football and entertainment worlds. The closing ceremony will set the tone for a historic FIFA World Cup final, uniting the passion of 48 teams, 16 host cities and millions of fans on one unforgettable stage.”
Separately, the match’s halftime show offers its own stacked lineup. BTS, Justin Bieber, Madonna and Shakira are co-headlining the first Super Bowl-style World Cup halftime spectacle, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, with proceeds benefiting the Global Citizen Education Fund.
Post Malone’s set is designed to “celebrate the tournament’s journey and ignite the atmosphere before the world’s attention turns to the two finalists.”
How to Follow the Ceremony
The closing ceremony airs on Fox in the US and BBC One in the UK. Streaming coverage will be available on FIFA’s official platforms and affiliated partners, with additional digital access expected internationally.
Why It Matters
Post Malone headlining the World Cup closing ceremony signals how far FIFA has shifted from traditional sport presentation toward year-round pop-culture programming. By slotting an A-list artist into a pre-match slot 90 minutes before kickoff, FIFA is betting that the spectacle is as important as the sport to global broadcasters and sponsors.
For more on how music and soccer have collided this tournament, see our coverage of Justin Bieber co-headlining with BTS and Shakira at the historic halftime show.
