After an exciting few weeks, the 2026 FIFA World Cup wrapped up at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday with a very tense—bordering on unpleasant—contest between Spain and Argentina. (The shoving! The red card! Emiliano Martínez playing with a broken finger!) But the action wasn’t limited to the gameplay: the afternoon was also full of musical acts and A-list appearances. Here, we round up the best parts of the match that had almost nothing to do with the fútbol.
The activated national anthem
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Before kick-off, Jennifer Hudson got the afternoon off to a rousing start with a full-throated rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in a custom white skirt suit by Thom Browne. This was followed by a somewhat less inspiring performance of “Desire,” the year’s official FIFA anthem, by the strange combination of Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, and Italian pop star Laura Pausini; but first, Fox’s cameras cut briefly to President Trump up in a box, triggering what sounded awfully like a chorus of boos from the stadium. Hm!
The celebrity sightings
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MetLife’s stands were studded with stars on Sunday, among them Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, Matt Damon, Mick Jagger, the Beckhams, Will Ferrell, Zinedine Zidane, Lamine Yamal’s adorable little brother, Trevor Noah, Adrien Brody, and Serena Williams.
Photo: Getty Images
Others showed up on the field before the match began. There were Hoyeon and Carlos Alacaraz, who walked out to reveal the World Cup trophy, housed within a custom Louis Vuitton trunk; and then Tom Cruise, who gave a little speech on the pitch. (”Today, only two teams remain: España v. Argentina!”)
The halftime show
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A lot went on during the World Cup’s first-ever halftime show. After an opener from Madonna, performing “Music” flanked by Brazilian soccer legends Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Ronaldo, came—deep breath—Gustavo Dudamel in a custom jersey; violinists miming the “Viking Row”; Muppets; a performance of “Dynamite” by BTS; Jason Sudeikis, as Ted Lasso, introducing Justin Bieber, who sang “Everything Hallelujah”; Shakira and Burna Boy doing “Dai Dai” amid a sea of child dancers (Uganda’s “Ghetto Kids”); and then a performance by Staten Island’s PS22 Chorus, with an assist from Chris Martin, as the entire field was covered in the word “LOVE” (the O was a globe). Is that clear?
