FIFA has announced that award-winning singer and entertainer Jennifer Hudson will perform the United States national anthem ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19.
The performance will take place before what is expected to become the largest sporting event finale in history, as Spain and Argentina prepare to meet in the championship match. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 P.M., while the closing ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. local time, 90 minutes before the match starts.
Hudson's appearance adds another major moment to an already star-filled event that will close the first 48-team FIFA World Cup tournament.
FIFA confirmed that the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award winner will deliver a special rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in front of a global audience expected to reach hundreds of millions of viewers.
Jennifer Hudson performs onstage at the 51st AFI Lifetime Achievement Award: A Tribute Celebrating Eddie Murphy at Dolby Theatre on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
According to FIFA, Hudson's performance will "set the stage for football's biggest match and the most anticipated moment of the tournament."
The singer arrives at the World Cup Final after recently performing "God Bless America" at the 2026 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia, a performance that drew widespread attention across social media and served as a high-profile lead-up to her appearance at football's biggest event.
Star-Studded FIFA World Cup 2026 Closing Ceremony
The World Cup Final closing ceremony will celebrate the journey of all 48 national teams that competed across Canada, Mexico and the United States during the tournament.
FIFA confirmed performances from Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and internet personality IShowSpeed, while actor Tom Cruise will make a special appearance during the show.
Post Malone will headline the ceremony with a performance that FIFA President Gianni Infantino said was "designed to celebrate the tournament's journey and ignite the atmosphere before the world's attention turns to the two finalists."
The final will also feature the FIFA World Cup's first-ever halftime show. The production is being organized by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and is expected to include performances by Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS.
Both the closing ceremony and halftime show will be broadcast alongside the final match.
The 2026 tournament opened with performances from Shakira and Burna Boy, while Katy Perry, Future, Ellie Goulding, Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette also appeared during events connected to the competition.
Hudson enters the World Cup Final as one of the most decorated performers in entertainment.
The Chicago native became the youngest woman and the third African-American recipient of the prestigious EGOT, having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.
She first rose to national attention as a finalist on the third season of "American Idol" in 2004 before winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Effie White in the 2006 film "Dreamgirls."
Hudson later portrayed music icon Aretha Franklin in the biographical film "Respect" and currently hosts "The Jennifer Hudson Show."
Her career has also included performances at the Super Bowl, the Democratic National Convention and several major national events, making her one of the most recognizable voices in American entertainment.
The World Cup Final anthem performance adds another major stage to that list.
FIFA said the closing ceremony, produced in creative partnership with Balich Wonder Studio, will celebrate "the passion, emotion and global spirit" that shaped the tournament.
Fans attending the final have been encouraged to arrive early to participate in activities planned throughout the venue.
Stadium gates will open at 11 A.M. local time, with FIFA promising exclusive activations, rewards and additional entertainment before the ceremony begins.
By the time Hudson steps to the microphone to sing the national anthem, the stage will already be set for one of the biggest moments in World Cup history.
Related: World Cup Announces Country-Rock Star as Performer for Closing Ceremony
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