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2026 World Cup Final New York: IShowSpeed Opens Ceremony

IShowSpeed launches 2026 World Cup closing ceremony at New York New Jersey Stadium with Tom Cruise, Robbie Williams and more performers ahead of Spain versus Argentina final.

By New York Sport Desk · Published July 20, 2026

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2026 World Cup Final New York: IShowSpeed Opens Ceremony — Interim vetted stock (sport), pending relevance-gated re-hero (FIX-2044)

Streamer IShowSpeed opened the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony by taking the field with drummers and dancers wearing bright tracksuits. The performance marked the start of pre-match entertainment at New York New Jersey Stadium ahead of Sunday's final.

Organizers expect more than 80,000 fans, celebrities and foreign dignitaries to fill the venue for the match between Spain and Argentina. The ceremony continues with additional planned appearances before kickoff.

Additional Performers Scheduled

Actor Tom Cruise is set to join singers Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini and Nicole Scherzinger during the pre-match segment. Italian singer Pausini described feeling very excited and proud about the opportunity, noting that an invitation from Williams gave her goosebumps because he ranks among her favorite performers.

The half-time show will feature Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS. Madonna is scheduled after releasing her new album Confessions II, which reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart in July. Bieber is returning after his largest live performance in four years at the Coachella festival in April.

Half-Time Logistics and Charity Element

Colombian artist Shakira and Nigerian musician Burna Boy are reuniting on stage after appearing together at the opening ceremony in Mexico City last month, where their track Dai Dai gained widespread play. K-Pop group BTS will perform during their 85-date world tour following a three-year hiatus for military service in South Korea.

Fifa stated the Super-Bowl-style half-time performance will run 11 minutes inside an expected 20-to-25-minute break. Coldplay's Chris Martin curated the segment, which aims to support the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund and its target of raising $100m for children worldwide. The Spain versus Argentina final follows on Sunday.

References Sourced but Not Limited to:

bbc.co.uk

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