Wire flash
2026 World Cup Final: Madonna halftime show lukewarm, Tom Cruise gives pre-game speech
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final, held in the United States, saw Spain defeat Argentina in a tense match. Beyond the football, the event featured numerous celebrity moments. Jennifer Hudson performed the US national anthem. A trio of Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, and Laura Pausini performed together. Tom Cruise gave an inspirational pre-game speech. The halftime show, which received a lukewarm reception, was opened by Madonna with a pre-recorded performance featuring cameos from football icons like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Wayne Rooney, as well as The Muppets. The article lists 11 such celebrity moments from the final.
Source report
After nearly six weeks of highs and lows, this year's World Cup came to a close over the weekend with a tense final that saw Spain triumph over Argentina.
The 2026 World Cup final delivered plenty of standout moments — and not just on the pitch. From surprise celebrity appearances to a first-of-its-kind halftime show (which received a somewhat lukewarm reception), the tournament's final night offered no shortage of entertainment-driven talking points.
Here are 11 celebrity moments from the 2026 World Cup final you might have missed:
1. Jennifer Hudson Sings the US National Anthem
With the final taking place on US soil, the evening kicked off with a rendition of America's national anthem performed by the always-note-perfect EGOT recipient Jennifer Hudson.
Jennifer Hudson performs a grand rendition of the United States National Anthem at the FIFA World Cup final 🇺🇸 — Jennifer Hudson Archive (@jhudaccess)
2. Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, and Laura Pausini Perform Together
Jennifer Hudson was always going to be a tough act to follow, so organisers brought together three musical acts from around the globe: Tony winner Nicole Scherzinger, British chart-topper Robbie Williams, and Italian pop superstar Laura Pausini.
Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger e Laura Pausini — Sara Wigand サラ (@SaraWigand)
3. Tom Cruise Warms Up the Crowd
Tom Cruise took the stage before the match to energise the crowd, delivering an inspirational speech celebrating football's power to unite people around the world.
Tom Cruise opened the FIFA World Cup final with an inspirational speech celebrating football’s power to unite people around the world. "This is football. This is unity. This is greatness." — cinesthetic. (@TheCinesthetic)
4. Madonna Opens the Halftime Show with Iconic Cameos
The much-hyped, star-studded halftime show began with a mostly pre-recorded performance of a Madonna classic — along with a brief snippet of her latest hit — featuring iconic football cameos. It proved to be the scene-stealing moment of the entire 11-minute show.
MADONNA officially opened the FIFA halftime show. — Fearcyz (@FearcyzD)
(The original article continues with additional celebrity moments. Only the provided content has been restructured above.)
Source
HuffPost UK - Athena2 - All Entries (Public)Western
Part of this Story
FIFA Announces Tom Cruise and Stars for 2026 World Cup Closing Ceremony