Tonight, the World Cup final got its own halftime show for the first time in 96 years, and it went as big as you'd expect from a lineup that included Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, an orchestra, and, somehow, the Muppets.

Top 10 entertainment moments from World Cup 2026

Shakira, Ghetto Kids and global stars made 2026 feel like a music festival with goals

Did Justin Bieber choose the wrong song at World Cup?

Halftime spectacle sparks debate over Bieber’s song as Shakira channels football’s spirit

Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS perform during the Topps Final Halftime Show the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Has the World Cup final become too Hollywood?

When the final feels like a film premiere, is the World Cup still just sport?

Tom Cruise speaks before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Tom Cruise turns World Cup Final into a spectacle

From pitch to premiere: Tom Cruise gives World Cup final a movie-style gloss

US actor and producer Tom Cruise speaks during the closing ceremony of the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026.

World Cup final: 8 hacks to enjoy the closing ceremony

Your guide to the star-packed World Cup final show, from kickoff to curtain call

Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira (Photo: Instagram/@madonna, @bts.bighitofficial, @lilbieber, @shakira)

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey: A near-perfect film

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Matt Damon as Odysseus in a scene from "The Odyssey."

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Tom Holland in The Odyssey.

Nolan's new epic The Odyssey fuels UAE cinema comeback

From Oppenheimer to The Odyssey, Nolan powers UAE’s box-office comeback this summer

A still from The Odyssey

Inside The Odyssey's real filming locations

From Greece to Iceland, Christopher Nolan used real locations instead of digital worlds

Svínafellsjökull in Iceland

Tom Holland on Erling Haaland ghosting his invite

Tom says he never replied, while Haaland later explained why he missed the text

Tom Holland on Erling Haaland ghosting his dinner invite: 'That's the type of humbling experience actors need'

How Nolan made The Odyssey on IMAX making history

The Odyssey pushed IMAX cameras further than ever, forcing crews to invent new technology

Landing in cinemas on July 16, it is the first feature film in history shot entirely on IMAX film cameras, a format so demanding that entire departments had to invent new equipment just to make it work.

First Digger trailer reveals a new Tom Cruise

Mystery, madness and political satire fuel Cruise’s wildest transformation yet

Alejandro G. Iñárritu turns Cruise into a volatile antihero in a cryptic spectacle.

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