Tom Cruise to Attend FIFA World Cup Closing Ceremony at MetLife Stadium

Highlights

• Tom Cruise set for “special appearance” at 2026 World Cup closing ceremony
• Ceremony hits MetLife Stadium Sunday, July 19, before the final
• Cruise previously rappelled off Stade de France roof at 2024 Olympics

Tom Cruise is adding another big stage to his résumé. The Top Gun star will make a “special appearance” at the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony.The ceremony, which goes down Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New York and New Jersey, will kick off 90 minutes before the World Cup final. FIFA didn’t spill details on what exactly Cruise will be doing, but if his last major sports cameo is any indication, fans should probably keep their eyes on the roof.Cruise previously made a memorable appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony, where he rappelled from the top of the Stade de France, grabbed the Olympic flag and sped off on a motorcycle as part of the handoff to LA. The man does not do a casual wave-and-walk-off.The closing ceremony will be preceded by Jennifer Hudson singing the U.S. national anthem before the final kicks off. FIFA’s chief operating officer, Heimo Schirgi, framed the whole thing as a full-circle moment for the tournament. “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,” Schirgi said.This year’s World Cup is already historic – the first with an expanded 48-team field, co-hosted across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. And Sunday will mark the tournament’s first-ever halftime show, packed with Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, and BTS.As for the closing ceremony itself, FIFA is promising fans won’t just be watching. The organization said the show is meant to “celebrate the 48 teams’ unforgettable journey,” and encouraged ticketholders to show up early since fans “will have an active role to play in the show.”