Everything To Know About The FIFA World Cup Final
on Jul 15, 2026 • Updated Jul 15, 2026
Back on June 11, the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, with matches played across North America.
President Donald Trump spoke on the significance of the United States hosting the World Cup, alongside Mexico and Canada, saying at the kickoff rally for the Great American State Fair, “It’s like having a Super Bowl every day.”
On Sunday, July 19, the World Cup final will be held at the New York New Jersey Stadium — commonly known as the MetLife Stadium — in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
There, Spain will face off against Argentina.
Notably, Argentina bested England, 2-1, to earn its spot in the final in a tense match on Wednesday, July 15, at Atlanta Stadium.
Now, Argentina, which includes Lionel Messi, stands to win its fourth World Cup. If Spain wins, it will be their second victory.
Beyond the football match… er, soccer … there will also be plenty of musical performances and special guests.
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What To Expect From The FIFA World Cup Final
While the United States was ousted from the World Cup after losing against Belgium in Round 16 on July 6, the National Anthem will still be performed in light of the United States hosting the final match.
Beginning at 1:30 p.m. EST on July 19, approximately 90 minutes before the World Cup final match begins, Celebrated EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson will perform the Star Spangled Banner.
The opening ceremony will also feature performances and remarks by the likes of Hollywood film actor and producer Tom Cruise, Italian singer-songwriter Laura Pausini, Tony Award-winning actress and singer Nicole Scherzinger, influencer and musician IShowSpeed, and English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams.
Headlining this July 19 opening ceremony of the World Cup final will be Post Malone, who was announced as the headliner on July 15, with FIFA writing on social media, “The biggest FIFA World Cup in history deserves the biggest send-off.”
Post Malone is reportedly still working on his next album, The Eternal Buzz, which he has said will see him continue to work and experiment within the country music genre. It remains to be seen if he will debut some of his new material from the album, which he has said will have 40 tracks.
The World Cup final kickoff is expected at 3 p.m. EST on July 19, but the music does not end there.
For the first time ever, the World Cup will have a halftime show, in the vein of the Super Bowl.
Curated by Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, the halftime show lineup reflects the global component of the World Cup.
Performers will include Madonna, who has just released her latest album, Confessions II; Shakira; Justin Bieber; and South Korean boy band BTS.
The halftime show will be performed as part of a larger FIFA charitable effort, with FIFA writing, “The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aiming to raise USD 100 million to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children worldwide.”
How To Watch The World Cup Final And Musical Performances
At 1:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, July 19, the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup final will begin, with kickoff set for 3 p.m.
Live coverage will begin at 11 a.m.
In the United States, the networks FOX — and its affiliate FSI — have been broadcasting each game live.
To watch the match and musical performances online or to stream the final on a Roku, or other Smart TV service, a subscription to FOX One is required.
That can be done directly through FOX One, as accessible, here.
FOX One can also be accessed as an add-on subscription on Amazon Prime Video. Visit the FOX One page on Amazon to start a subscription, here.
The match can also be streamed with Spanish commentary on Peacock.
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