FIFA wanted the 2026 World Cup final to be a spectacle, and it was.
It was a perfect, sunny 80-degree day for the biggest and most expensive sporting event ever on Sunday, July 19, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. NY/NJ (MetLife) Stadium was the home of this historic game, as Spain faced Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Spain didn't let Lionel Messi lift a second straight World Cup, winning 1-0 in extra time in what was a complete domination from La Roja.
The action on the pitch was the main focus, but there was plenty of other entertainment besides it.
This final match featured a closing ceremony, a Super Bowl-inspired halftime show, and a post-match trophy presentation for the 80,663 fans in attendance that paid all-time-high prices to be there.
The closing ceremony
The closing ceremony started 90 minutes before kickoff, with a giant tarp unfurled on the pitch featuring the New York City skyline.
Streamer IShowSpeed performed his World Cup song "Champions," then Post Malone performed several of his hit songs and was joined by Swae Lee for their smash-hit "Sunflower." Finally, Tom Cruise and Coldplay's Chris Martin made speeches before Jennifer Hudson sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" moments before the teams emerged and the final kicked off.
The halftime show
That was just the start of FIFA's elaborate plans, as at halftime, there was a near-12-minute halftime show featuring several global superstars, of both music and soccer.
It started with a prerecorded video featuring two Brazil World Cup-winning legends, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Nazário, driving Madonna onto the colorful field full of dancers and flags.
The Muppets then performed The White Stripes' stadium anthem "Seven Nation Army," though that wasn't all, as The Muppets also did their version of the Norwegian row, a smooth transition into BTS performing "Dynamite."
Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, stars of "Ted Lasso," reprised their roles as Ted Lasso and Coach Beard, respectively, to introduce Justin Bieber, the biggest star of this show, whose appearance FIFA president Gianni Infantino hinted at previously.
The show was capped off by Shakira and Burna Boy's performance of 2026 World Cup anthem "Dai Dai," the second time Shakira has penned the World Cup anthem for a tournament won by Spain, after "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" soundtracked the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The halftime show was met with decidedly mixed reviews, including from former players like Wayne Rooney, who called the performance "crap." The whole halftime break took over 26 minutes, surpassing the usual 15-minute limit for all normal matches.
Trump, Infantino at the trophy presentation
After the final whistle blew, a stage was set up in front of a giant inflatable World Cup trophy. There, Infantino, US President Donald Trump, plus the heads of state of Mexico and Canada, handed medals to the players from Argentina and Spain, and gave out the awards to those who won individual honors like the Golden Ball, Golden Glove, and Young Player of the Tournament.
When it was time for Spain to lift the World Cup, Infantino lightly ran across the stage to tell Trump to move out of the way, but instead, he stood to the side and remained in the frame of the celebrations, just like he did when Chelsea won the Club World Cup last summer.
The Spanish soccer federation, for its part, removed Trump and Infantino from the photo they shared of La Roja's World Cup trophy lift.
Fans make a difference, as expected
This World Cup was full of heavily-debated topics long before a ball was even kicked: The hydration breaks, the renaming of the stadiums due to sponsors, the 48-team format, the outlandish ticket prices, the travel concerns — the list goes on.
One consistent highlight all summer long was the fans. Whether it was the Norwegian fans rowing everywhere, the Scotland fans belting "Flower of Scotland," or the United States singing "Take Me Home, Country Roads," this tournament featured many memorable moments because of passionate supporters rallying around their national teams.
Argentina fans outnumbered those supporting Spain in New Jersey for Sunday's final, but it was the Spanish supporters who stayed long after the final whistle to soak in their nation's victory.
There, in one large contingent just below seats occupied by members of the press, they sang and banged drums, celebrating their country's second World Cup win.
