The 2026 World Cup final closed with a record-breaking half-time show featuring Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and K-pop group BTS, in a display of star power organisers pitched as a rival to the Superbowl. Madonna, performing her hit Music, appeared alongside Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, while the show's unusual 27-minute-22-second length drew criticism, as International Football Association Board rules permit a maximum 15-minute half-time stoppage. On the pitch, Spain beat Argentina to win the World Cup for the second time in the country's history.

Shakira reunited with Nigerian musician Burna Boy, having previously performed together at the tournament's opening ceremony in Mexico City, while BTS used the appearance to mark their return after a three-year hiatus spent completing mandatory military service in South Korea. The wider closing ceremony at the New York New Jersey Stadium also included Jennifer Hudson singing the US national anthem, a speech from actor Tom Cruise on football's unifying power, and performances from Post Malone, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. Numerous celebrities attended, including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet and Anya Taylor-Joy.