Overview
- FIFA confirmed on Wednesday that Post Malone will headline the closing ceremony for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium, with the show beginning about 90 minutes before kickoff.
- Organizers announced a first-of-its-kind halftime concert that features Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Burna Boy and was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
- Streamer and musician IShowSpeed will perform after his song was added to the official World Cup album, a selection that has coincided with a FIFA investigation into a racist comment made toward him during a July 3 match.
- Jennifer Hudson will sing the U.S. national anthem before the match and broadcasters FOX and Telemundo will carry the final to a global audience projected at more than 1.5 billion viewers.
- The festival-style programming marks a deliberate shift toward Super Bowl-style staging that raises new logistical and reputational stakes for FIFA, including live production timing, global broadcast coordination and scrutiny over inclusion decisions.