Tom Cruise opened World Cup final blockbuster with an emotional monologue following a calamitous closing ceremony.
Defending champions Argentina bid to secure a second successive World Cup triumph in a showdown against Spain in front of 80,000 clamoring fans, including President Donald Trump, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
Even before the first kick of the game, the spectators inside the stadium, as well as the billions watching from home, an eye-catching spectacle played out on the MetLife turf.
A bevy of Hollywood’s finest had been billed as performers with Cruise headlining the event, designed to pay tribute to all of the competing 48 nations from the tournament.
However, fans anxious to see the Hollywood icon, 64, were made to wait for almost 90 minutes as they had to endure a bizarre performance from YouTuber IShowSpeed in the buildup to kickoff.
Cruise finally made his long-awaited appearance less than 10 minutes before the teams walked out onto the pitch. FIFA reserved the actor for the grand finale of the ceremony with Cruise reflecting on the tournament, which has been the biggest in World Cup history.
Tom Cruise opened World Cup final blockbuster with an emotional monologue
The Hollywood side headlined the closing ceremony ahead of the final at MetLife Stadium
Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini also featured in the spectacle
‘So as we gather for one final chapter, let us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together,’ he said. ‘Let us celebrate each other. This is football. This is unity. This is greatness.’
Fans were left baffled by the address with one viewer writing on X: ‘I’m disappointed Tom Cruise did not helicopter in for his Ted talk. FIFA missed an opportunity to collaborate with a chopper company.’
‘About as inspiring as watching your cat get run over,’ added another.
Others took issue with the message of unity with some pointing to the travel and visa chaos that some teams, including Iran, had to endure before and throughout the tournament due to US customs and border enforcement.
‘Brought the world together. You banned Iran from entering your country until game day,’ one fan claimed on X. ‘And banned a referee from turning up.’
‘That had nothing to do with football,’ insisted another. ‘Just more USA’in (sic) c**p. How did the USA treat the Iranian team and players? Disgracefully, as fittingly represents the USA.’
The Mission Impossible star has been spotted in the stands throughout the tournament and performed a stunt at the Paris Olympics’ closing ceremony
Cruise had been billed as the main attraction, but fans were left confused to first see IShowSpeed dominating their screens rather than the legendary actor when the closing ceremony got underway.
Popular streamer IShowSpeed kickstarted the World Cup final closing ceremony
The streamer surprised viewers when he began performing an original song, Champions
The content creator – who has over 58 million subscribers on YouTube and streamed multiple matches throughout the World Cup – stunned fans by launching into song.
He had been listed as a performer but he surprised viewers when he began performing original song, Champions, which was on the official 2026 World Cup album.
The streamer began lying down to croon up into an overhead broadcast camera, before rising to his feet and showing off his moves amid a colorful array of backup dancers in neon tracksuits.
Post Malone replaced IShowSpeed in the spotlight. More accustomed to performing, he opened with his new track Chrome Heartbreaker, before leading into his 2018 song Wow for his three-song performance.
He then brought out rapper Swae Lee to perform their grammy-nominated hit Sunflower.
Post, 31, rocked a classic Canadian tuxedo, accessorizing with his signature cowboy hat and sunglasses.
The American singer and rapper pulled aside his denim jacket to unveil a t-shirt that read: ‘I just hope both teams have fun.’ The shirt’s message was a nod to Elmo’s now-viral tweet ahead of the NBA Finals that left New Yorkers furious.
However, fans were left underwhelmed at the bizarre opening display with many bemoaning the lack of creativity and star-power.
The content creator performed at MetLife Stadium amid a neon swarm of dancers
Post Malone (right) performed his 2018 hit Sunflower with Swae Lee (left)
Scherzinger, Williams and Pausini performed the official FIFA anthem, Desire
IShowSpeed, who boasts over 58 million subscribers on YouTube, dressed in an all-white suit
‘Such an underwhelming closing ceremony. Zero creativity just artists singing,’ one wrote on X.
‘The lip syncing for these closing ceremony performances is horrific,’ another shared.
‘ishowspeed was so random,’ said a third, while another baffled viewer branded it ‘unreal scenes.’
‘Imagine telling someone a few years ago that ishowspeed is gonna perform at the world cup,’ added a fifth.
Another went on: ‘Worst closing ceremony.. obviously low budget.’
‘The World Cup closing show was terrible – lousy production, just like the opening ceremony,’ said one X user.
Meanwhile, others questioned why a content creator was given the honor of performing on the world’s biggest stage.
‘Why should speed be at the world cup final singing in the first place???. At least his idol doesn’t make final,’ one fan argued.
‘I don’t know what’s going on or who this is or why we thought we should have this represent us to the rest of the world,’ another added.
‘I legitimately have never heard of this person,’ said a third.
Post, 31, rocked a classic Canadian tuxedo, accessorizing with his signature cowboy hat
Williams cut a particularly striking figure in a bedazzled electric blue tracksuit
Fans were left underwhelmed at the bizarre display, slamming the ‘random’ performances
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson was granted the honor of performing the US national anthem. The singer, dressed in an elegant Thom Browne skirt suit, wowed fans with her powerful rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.
Ahead of Cruise’s speech, British singer Robbie Williams was joined by Tony winner and Pussycat Dolls alum Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini, the Italian singer who helped open the Milan Cortina Olympics.
The trio performed the first ever official FIFA anthem, Desire, in coordinated outfits for the occasion.
Williams, who also performed the song at the World Cup draw in December, cut a particular striking figure.
The former Take That star raised eyebrows in a bedazzled electric blue tracksuit, the diamantes glimmering underneath the New Jersey sun.
Many viewers likened Williams to Paulie Walnuts, the fictional tracksuit mobster from The Sopranos series, on social media.
Scherzinger wowed in a figure-hugging catsuit of the same color that featured a dramatic train, while Pausini looked ethereal in a flowing gown in a tie-dye print.
‘Echoing the spirit of the opening ceremonies, which welcomed the world to the greatest stage in Canada, Mexico and the United States, the closing ceremony will bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 full circle through music, culture and football, before we kick off the highly anticipated match that will crown the champions of this groundbreaking tournament,’ Heimo Schirgi, the World Cup’s chief operating officer, had said of the event before the final.
This year’s showstopper is bigger and better than ever with the star-studded event also boasting the first-ever World Cup halftime show, featuring the likes of Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber.
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson was granted the honor of performing the US national anthem
The closing ceremony took place 90 minutes before kickoff between Spain and Argentina
Argentina fans arrive at MetLife Stadium before Sunday’s hugely anticipated final vs Spain
The ceremony took place following a morning of chaos in New York and New Jersey as thousands of fans descended on the Big Apple region for the final.
Those lucky enough to have clinched a ticket – or forked out as much as $10,000 for one – were urged to arrive up to four hours before the start of the game at the 80,000-seater stadium, a short drive outside of Manhattan.
FIFA encouraged fans to arrive early in order to participate in the World Cup closing ceremony, scheduled to begin around 90 minutes before the game itself kicks off.
But it has become standard procedure for fans to arrive even earlier for additional security checks whenever Trump attends a sporting event – lest they risk missing kickoff.
Trump has made it to plenty in his second term as President, ranging from the Ryder Cup to the Super Bowl, and his attendance often means lengthy delays for fans with airport-style security measures enforced for everyone making their way inside of the venue.
Delays on Sunday, however, were compounded amid reports of glitches in FIFA’s ticket-scanning system, meaning those who were fortunate enough to be at the front of the long lines still faced frustrating delays.
Daily Mail also witnessed tensions simmering between fans, media members and security staff, with officials on the ground telling anyone who complained: ‘Take it up with FIFA’.
But those members of security staff also appeared to be confused over how to manage the thousands of people arriving for the game.
Fans had to pass heightened securoty measures due to President Trump’s attendance
Thousands of fans and media members faced massive lines to enter the stadium for the World Cup final on Sunday amid several reports of security struggling to manage the situation
There were multiple instances of organizers on the ground misdirecting people over where they should begin lining up to enter the stadium with over three hours to go until the start of the game.
Media members also faced extra checks from the secret service given the need to bring laptops and filming equipment inside of the stadium. DHS police and state police were also seen at the venue.
This all played out as other fans decided to leave it late to get to the stadium. With four hours to go until the game began, many supporters were still at Penn Station in Manhattan waiting to board a train into New Jersey and towards the stadium.
It is expected that Trump will be granted the honor of handing the trophy over to the victorious team.
The President carried out the same duties during the Club World Cup final, which also took place at MetLife Stadium.
He left the winning Chelsea stars, including Cole Palmer and Reece James, stunned when he remained on the stage throughout their celebrations.
