World Cup 2026 closing ceremony: Start time, performers, interval show and Irish TV channel
Justin Bieber will perform alongside Madonna, Shakira, and others, at the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony half-time show.
Anticipation for the World Cup final is mounting ahead of tonight’s semi–final between England and Argentina.
The quarter-finals saw France overcome AFCON champions (by default) Morocco with a comfortable 2-0 win thanks to two quick goals in the second-half by Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
Spain followed with a 2-1 victory against Belgium, decided by a late goal from Mikel Merino at Los Angeles Stadium.
England overcame Norway 2-1 in extra time, with Jude Bellingham scoring the decisive goal, while Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1, with Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez, and Lautaro Martinez among the scorers at Kansas City Stadium.
The first semi-final on Tuesday evening saw a strong Spanish side defeat France at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
On Wednesday evening, England will meet Argentina at 3pm ET (7pm Irish time) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. England is set to challenge the reigning champions, led by Lionel Messi, in what promises to be a high-stakes clash.
Details of the World Cup final closing ceremony, including the half-time show, have been confirmed and the spectacle is set to feature Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy and Justin Bieber.
Yes, a closing ceremony has also been planned and it has been announced that Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, pop star Robbie Williams and US singer Jennifer Hudson will perform during the closing ceremony.
The event will take place 90 minutes before kick-off and will also feature performances from Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, Italian singer-songwriter Laura Pausini and streamer IShowSpeed – with Hudson set to deliver a rendition of the US national anthem.
FIFA and Global Citizen have also confirmed that Times Square will become a major fan focus during finals weekend, with screens, public viewing, hospitality areas, and live performances linked to both the bronze-medal match and the final.
An interval show - the first of its kind for the international football tournament - has been planned for the 2026 World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.
The half-time show will see Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy and Justin Bieber perform, to the excitement of many musical fans.
The performance at the World Cup final will be curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and will also feature Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS 22 Chorus and characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.
Rumours suggest the half-time line-up might break FIFA’s rules by extending the interval from a typical 15 minutes to up to 25 minutes.
Irish viewers can watch the World Cup final on RTÉ 2.
Coverage on RTÉ will kick off at 8pm on Sunday, and with the scheduled half-time show, the final will not conclude until after 10pm even without extra time and penalties.
It has also been confirmed that the RTÉ coverage of the FIFA World Cup final will clash with night show following the All-Ireland SHC final between Limerick and Galway.
