The stars are showing up to send the national teams off during the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony.
FIFA has officially announced that several stars will be getting fans excited before the footballers hit the field, including Oscar-winning actor Tom Cruise, popular streamer IShowSpeed, EGOT Jennifer Hudson, Italian singer Laura Pausini, Grammy-nominated singer Nicole Scherzinger, and English singer Robbie Williams. The entertainers will be hitting the stage approximately 90 minutes before kickoff. Hudson will be performing the United States national anthem, and IShowSpeed will also be performing his song, “Champions.” This is the first time that the FIFA World Cup has hosted 48 national teams, as it previously only hosted in the 32-team format from 1998 through 2022.
FIFA didn’t just invite him to perform; they recognized him as the voice of a generation that watches soccer differently from their parents. His closing ceremony performance represents a cultural moment where streaming and traditional sports finally merged completely. But IShowSpeed isn’t the only artist carrying the torch for a new generation at this tournament.
Burna Boy, the Nigerian Afrobeats superstar, is headlining the historic first-ever World Cup final halftime show on July 19, sharing the stage with Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Coldplay, and others. Burna Boy’s path to this moment started in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where he built himself into one of Africa’s biggest exports. His hits like “Ye,” “Anybody,” and “On the Low” made him a global force, and by 2026, he’d become the first African artist to surpass 50 million monthly Spotify listeners. The halftime show is extended to 30 minutes, breaking World Cup protocol, and Burna Boy’s inclusion signals that Afrobeats has become central to global pop culture.