Post Malone headlined the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final opening ceremony at the “New York New Jersey” Stadium, performing a genre-spanning set for the massive crowd that gathered 90 minutes before kickoff.
Malone opened with his performance with “Chrome Heartbreaker,”
a new song he’d been teasing the past week, which was followed by his hits “Wow” and “Sunflower,” the latter featuring Swae Lee:
Malone’s set lived up to the description FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave earlier in the week when the announcement was made. “At a time when sport, culture, and global attention converge, Post Malone will deliver a performance designed to celebrate the tournament’s journey and ignite the atmosphere before the world’s attention turns to the two finalists,” Infantino previously said in a statement.
While Malone headlined the show, a few additional heavy hitters joined the pregame festivities, including Tom Cruise, who made an appearance ahead of the release of his latest movie, Digger, set for fall 2026. Jennifer Hudson was also on hand for her rousing rendition of the United States national anthem, while YouTube star IShowSpeed performed his song “Champions”:
More superstars are set to perform during the halftime show, with Justin Bieber headlining alongside co-headliners Madonna, Shakira, and BTS, curating a once-in-a-lifetime experience for World Cup final attendees. The performances have been stacked from the start of the month-long tournament across its three host territories: the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Shakira and Burna Boy launched the World Cup in Mexico City with a performance of “Dai Dai.” Label mates Future and Tyla, alongside Katy Perry, performed during the World Cup opener in the U.S. at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, while Canada’s opening ceremony featured Michael Bublé, Alessia Cara, and Eliana. Ellie Goulding appeared at the quarterfinals, where her home country of England defeated Norway, before ultimately being eliminated after a semifinal loss to Argentina.
Malone, who is in the midst of his Big Ass Stadium Tour with Jelly Roll, closed out what has been a star-studded run of World Cup musical performances. As the 2026 World Cup story nears its end and fans wait to see whether Spain or Argentina will be crowned champion, the next FIFA World Cup has been set for 2030. It will mark the tournament’s 100th anniversary, with Morocco, Portugal, and Spain confirmed as hosts.
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