The ceremony is set for Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium, where Cruise will join a lineup that includes Laura Pausini, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and internet personality IShowSpeed.
Tom Cruise Joins FIFA’s World Cup Final Celebration
FIFA has not disclosed what Cruise’s role will involve, only describing it as a “special appearance.” The actor has become known for turning live events into headline-making spectacles, most notably at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he descended from the roof of Stade de France before carrying the Olympic flag away on a motorcycle as part of the handover to Los Angeles.
Source: Fabrizio Bensch- Pool/Getty Images
The organization also announced that Jennifer Hudson will perform the United States national anthem before kickoff. Meanwhile, the World Cup final itself will feature another first for the tournament with its inaugural half-time show. Scheduled performers include Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay, and the Sesame Street Muppets. Reports indicate the musical production will extend the traditional 15-minute interval to approximately 30 minutes.
Cruise’s appearance arrives as he ramps up promotion for his next picture, “Digger,” the upcoming satirical comedy directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. The Warner Bros. Pictures release stars Cruise as wealthy oil tycoon Digger Rockwell alongside Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons. It follows one of the world’s most powerful men as he attempts to convince humanity he can save it from a catastrophe of his own making.
Marketing for “Digger” has intensified in recent months. Cruise and Iñárritu debuted new footage at CinemaCon earlier this year before Warner Bros. expanded the campaign with teaser footage, posters and a full trailer released yesterday. The film is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters and IMAX on October 2.
