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A-List Stars Pack New Jersey Stadium for 2026 World Cup Final, From the Beckhams to Beyonce and Trump

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Katy Perry

Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina drew far more than soccer fans to New York New Jersey Stadium, with the venue’s stands, suites and red carpet packed with an extraordinary roster of celebrities spanning entertainment, sports, business and politics for what organizers billed as one of the most star-studded closings in tournament history.

The championship match, played at what is commonly known as MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, capped a tournament that had drawn celebrity attention throughout its run, beginning with performances from Shakira, Michael Buble and Katy Perry at the opening ceremonies weeks earlier. FIFA built Sunday’s closing festivities to match that scale, adding a first for the tournament’s biggest stage: an official halftime show.

A historic halftime show

For the first time in World Cup history, the championship match paused at halftime for a full musical performance, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Headliners Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS represented the United States, Colombia, Canada and South Korea respectively, joined by British rockers Coldplay, Nigerian singer Burna Boy, Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel and New York’s PS22 Chorus, along with characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets.

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Bieber, reflecting on his involvement ahead of the show, said in a statement that the World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can, adding that he felt grateful to be part of the halftime show and that its proceeds were already helping expand educational access for children worldwide.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino echoed that sentiment in a press release, saying organizers were thrilled to have so many stars from both football and entertainment taking part, and that the ceremony was designed to set the tone for a historic final uniting the passion of the tournament’s 48 teams, 16 host cities and millions of fans.

Musicians and performers across the closing ceremony

Beyond the halftime show, the tournament’s closing ceremony featured Jennifer Hudson performing the U.S. national anthem, while Argentine singer Maria Becerra performed her country’s anthem ahead of kickoff. The broader closing lineup included Post Malone, Swae Lee, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and internet personality-turned-musician IShowSpeed, who performed a backflip as part of his set. Tenor Christopher Macchio also delivered a rendition of “America the Beautiful” as part of the pregame festivities.

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Sports and entertainment icons fill the stands

The crowd inside the stadium featured an equally dense concentration of star power. David and Victoria Beckham attended with sons Romeo and Cruz, along with their respective partners, while Jay-Z and Beyonce were on hand fresh off a run of concerts at Yankee Stadium the previous week. Actor Timothee Chalamet served as the match’s ceremonial ball carrier, arriving alongside girlfriend Kylie Jenner, who was photographed sharing a kiss with the actor during the match.

Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz and actress Hoyeon presented the Louis Vuitton trunk containing the World Cup trophy ahead of kickoff, while Spanish World Cup-winning midfielder Andres Iniesta was also present for the presentation. NFL legend Tom Brady, who had appeared at a World Cup-related event at Fanatics Fest in New York days earlier, attended the final alongside a wide range of athletes and entertainers, including Kevin Durant, Kevin Hart, Travis Scott, Novak Djokovic and former England international Rio Ferdinand, several of whom had gathered for a widely shared selfie with tournament finalists Rodri, Emiliano Martinez and Lionel Messi at Fanatics Fest that Friday.

Political leaders join the celebration

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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump made a rare joint public appearance for the final, with the president photographed shaking hands with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez alongside Infantino, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were also present, alongside Carney’s wife, Diana Fox Carney, reflecting the shared hosting arrangement between the three North American countries.

Hollywood and music’s biggest names turn out

The red carpet and stands featured a sprawling list of additional attendees spanning film, music and television. Actors Tom Cruise, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Javier Bardem, Richard Gere, John Hamm, Norman Reedus, Jessica Alba, Adrien Brody and Anya Taylor-Joy, the latter of whom grew up partly in Buenos Aires and attended with husband Malcolm McRae, were among those spotted at the match. Musicians including Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Mick Jagger, Pharrell Williams, Drake, Future, Dua Lipa and her husband Callum Turner, Sexyy Red, Yeat, 21 Savage and Central Cee were also seen throughout the venue.

Sports figures beyond the soccer world were similarly well represented, with WWE’s Roman Reigns attending with his family, alongside NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany, NBA veterans James Harden and Victor Wembanyama, and tennis legend Serena Williams. Television personality Gayle King attended with her son, while MrBeast and girlfriend Thea Booysen, comedian Trevor Noah, and internet stars Druski and Winnie Harlow were also spotted across the venue’s various suites and hospitality areas.

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A finale matching the tournament’s scale

The extensive celebrity presence throughout Sunday’s final reflected FIFA’s broader ambitions for the tournament, which organizers have described as the largest and most attended World Cup in the competition’s history. With Spain’s 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina closing out the six-week tournament, Sunday’s blend of sporting drama and cultural spectacle underscored the scale of an event that FIFA and its partners had spent years building toward, drawing together fans, athletes, entertainers and world leaders alike for the championship match’s dramatic conclusion.

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Oil prices to hit $120 soon? Goldman Sachs makes big prediction as Hormuz concerns loom

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Oil prices to hit $120 soon? Goldman Sachs makes big prediction as Hormuz concerns loom
Wall Street major Goldman Sachs has warned that Brent crude could surge to $120 per barrel if disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil transit route, persist, even as its base case assumes an eventual easing of tensions in the Middle East.

Goldman Sachs expects Brent crude to average $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 next year, assuming tensions in the Middle East ease. However, the risks to its forecasts remain “tilted to the upside” due to potential disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and possibly the Red Sea, analysts said.

Global energy markets have faced renewed volatility this month, with Brent climbing back above $91 per barrel amid fresh fighting between the U.S. and Iran and a threat by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to blockade shipments from Saudi Arabia. Red Sea routes have played a key role in enabling Persian Gulf crude cargoes affected by disruptions to reach buyers.

Also read: Relieved that crude has finally fallen? The real warning signs just began flashing elsewhere

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Goldman Sachs said lower global inventories in the second quarter have increased the oil market’s vulnerability to supply shocks. However, weaker Chinese imports and greater demand elasticity could limit the potential for further price gains.

Crude oil price today

Oil prices edged lower on Tuesday as markets weighed reports of renewed diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran, including a proposed 10-day ceasefire, against continued military exchanges and a threat by Yemen’s Houthis to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had received a 10-day ceasefire proposal from mediators. The initiative aims to preserve the interim agreement signed on June 17 and create a path toward a lasting deal to end the conflict that began on February 28 following U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
The diplomatic push followed another night of U.S. strikes on Iranian cities and retaliatory attacks by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on U.S. military assets across the region. U.S. Central Command later said on Monday that it had launched another round of strikes on Iran.
The U.S. carried out its 10th consecutive day of strikes after President Donald Trump vowed that Iran “will pay” for the killing of American soldiers. Iran responded with attacks on Kuwait.

The conflict began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Tehran retaliated with strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. military bases. U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, along with Israeli strikes on Lebanon during the conflict, have killed thousands of people and displaced millions.

Also read:Oil is crude once again! Is $95 the new normal and what it means for Indian investors?

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Over the past week, Trump has also threatened to widen the scope of U.S. strikes in Iran to include energy facilities and bridges.

The 1949 Geneva Conventions, which set rules for humanitarian conduct during war, prohibit attacks on sites considered essential to civilian life. Following Trump’s earlier threats to target such infrastructure, international law experts in the U.S. said earlier this year that such attacks could potentially constitute war crimes.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

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Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (IBKR) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript