How to Watch the 2026 World Cup Final, Halftime Show & Closing Ceremony

After over a month of games, the FIFA World Cup 2026 is coming to an end, but there is still so much to look forward to. Enter: the closing ceremony, final, and the very first final halftime show.

Hosted across three North American nations, this year's World Cup has had a larger scope than ever before, and that's definitely being reflected in the amount of content viewers can tune in to from home, and that's not stopping for the last day. When we say the scope is larger than before, we don’t just mean that hosting duties were spread across three countries and 16 cities. The actual tournament was bigger than ever before, with 48 teams competing for the title of world’s best, as opposed to the previous 32. That means, instead of 64 matches, this World Cup featured a whopping 104 matches!

From Lamine Yamal to João Neves, These Are the Young Stars to Watch During the World Cup 2026

Aside from more soccer than ever before, we are also getting more entertainment. At the beginning, it was the countdown concerts and opening ceremonies with A-list talent, including Shakira, Elyanna, Tyla, BLACKPINK’s Lisa, and many more, which set the tone for the event. As we near the end, for the first time ever, there will also now be major performances both before and during the final, which you are not going to want to miss

If you are ready for it all, we've got the ultimate FIFA World Cup 2026 final watch guide below.

NBC/Getty Images

All headlines might be centered on the brand-new halftime show, but before the final game even kicks off, there will be a closing ceremony, which is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT, and it will be as star-studded as the halftime show.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Closing Ceremony will be headlined by Post Malone and will also feature performances by Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, and IShowSpeed, who's been a World Cup staple this year. The pre-game sendoff will also feature a special appearance by Tom Cruise (yes, we are getting Olympics flashbacks), and Jennifer Hudson has been tapped to perform a live rendition of the United States national anthem.

Per FIFA, the closing ceremony “will celebrate the 48 teams’ unforgettable journey across the three host countries and 16 host cities throughout the tournament.” You can tune in to the closing ceremony wherever you plan to watch the match (more on that below), but be sure to triple-check your local listings to ensure the broadcast starts in time for the sendoff. If you don't manage to catch it live, FIFA will likely upload highlights and performances to its official YouTube channel, much like it did for the opening ceremonies.

Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images

If you are ready to tune into the main attraction, the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina will take place on Sunday, July 19, at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT. (Fun fact: this is the first time Spain and Argentina will face each other in the World Cup since 1966.) The final game is taking place at the New York New Jersey Stadium and will crown the world champion.

In the US, FOX has served as the home for all English-language free-to-air broadcasts of the games, including the final and third-place game. You can also tune in via a paid live TV streaming service like YouTube TV or a Hulu + Live TV bundle that includes FOX and FS1. You can also tune in via the FOX Sports App or with Fox One as a standalone streaming service. The latter costs $19.99 per month, though there's a three-day free trial if you just want to watch the final. The games will also be available to stream on Fubo through FOX and FS1.

For Spanish-language coverage in the US, Telemundo and its affiliates, including Universo, will broadcast the World Cup final and third-place game. You can also tune in via the Telemundo app. If you have Peacock Premium or Premium Plus, you’ll also be able to tune into the games in Spanish. (Select subscribers will have limited access.)

If you are outside of the US, you can check out all international broadcast options here.

As mentioned above, for the first time, the FIFA World Cup will also host a halftime show, à la Super Bowl, during the final’s intermission on July 19. Like the final, the halftime show will take place at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, the debut headlining acts for the FIFA World Cup 2026 final halftime show will be Shakira with Burna Boy, who will perform the official World Cup anthem “Dai Dai” alongside Madonna, BTS, and newly announced additions Justin Bieber, incoming music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus alongside Coldplay. The Muppets, from Sesame Street, will also be part of the show, with Kermit, Miss Piggy, and more slated to appear.

You might be wondering how long the FIFA World Cup halftime show will be. And the answer is: Not that long. It's been confirmed that the halftime show will be an 11-minute performance. Despite that, you should expect a longer wait time before the second half begins, with prep time reportedly making the wait around 25 to 30 minutes in total. (In comparison, the standard halftime break in soccer is 15 minutes.)

Much like the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album, the halftime show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The show is a joint effort by FIFA and Global Citizen in partnership with Live Nation and Done + Dusted. You can tune into the show wherever you plan to watch the final and stay tuned for additional broadcast information. It hasn’t been officially announced, but it’s likely that a replay will be uploaded to FIFA’s official channels after the final.