FIFA World Cup 2026 final to be preceded by star-studded closing ceremony

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will conclude with a spectacular closing ceremony at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, ahead of the tournament final.

The 90-minute pre-match celebration will begin at 1:30 p.m. local time and mark the end of the biggest FIFA World Cup in history, featuring 48 teams competing across Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The ceremony will feature performances by international music stars Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and IShowSpeed, while Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is also scheduled to make a special appearance.

Award-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson will perform the United States national anthem before kick-off, setting the stage for the tournament’s showpiece finale.

According to FIFA, the event will celebrate the journey of all 48 participating nations and highlight the passion, diversity and global unity that have defined the month-long tournament.

The ceremony has been produced in partnership with Balich Wonder Studio and is designed to combine music, culture and football in a celebration of the sport’s biggest event. FIFA said additional artists and special guests will be announced before the final.

“We wanted the closing ceremony to bring the tournament full circle by celebrating football, music and culture before crowning the new world champions,” FIFA World Cup 2026 Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi said.

Fans attending the final have been encouraged to arrive early, with stadium gates opening four hours before kick-off. In addition to the closing ceremony, spectators will be able to enjoy a range of fan experiences, entertainment and interactive activities before the match begins.

Poland has resumed deportations of Afghan nationals despite interim protective measures issued by the European Court of Human Rights, according to a report published Monday by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.

The newspaper said Polish authorities continue to arrange deportations on an ad hoc basis, with border officials maintaining only limited technical contact with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s airport authorities to facilitate returns.

The report highlighted an April 10 deportation in which three Afghan nationals were flown from Poland to Uzbekistan before boarding a flight to Kabul without Polish escorts, despite the European court’s order to halt their removal.

According to the Institute for the Rule of Law, the men were detained at Kabul airport for a week before being sent back to Uzbekistan, then returned to Kabul a second time. At least one of the men was eventually allowed to enter Afghanistan.

Poland’s Border Guard said each deportation is assessed individually and includes a review of the person’s legal status and conditions in their country of origin. However, it acknowledged that once deportees are handed over to Afghan authorities, it has no information about their subsequent whereabouts or treatment.

The report was based on information provided by Poland’s Interior Ministry and was published by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

Thousands of Afghan families are returning to Afghanistan as Pakistan steps up its latest deportation campaign against undocumented foreign nationals.

Pakistan’s government set July 10 as the deadline for Afghans without valid visas to leave the country, ending recognition of documents that had previously allowed many Afghans to remain legally.

According to reports, between 400 and 600 families are crossing through Torkham into Afghanistan each day. Since October 2023, more than 2.5 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan under Islamabad’s deportation policy.

Many of those leaving say they have spent their entire lives in Pakistan and are returning to a country they barely know. Some families told reporters they were forced to sell homes and businesses at heavily reduced prices before departing, while others described increasing police raids and fears of arrest.

The large-scale returns are placing additional pressure on Afghanistan’s already limited resources, with transit centres and aid agencies struggling to support the growing number of returnees.

Pakistan says the deportation campaign is aimed at undocumented migrants and that only Afghans holding valid visas, such as student, business or visit visas, are permitted to remain in the country.

The deportations come amid strained relations between Pakistan and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of failing to prevent cross-frontier militant activity. Afghan authorities have repeatedly rejected those allegations.

Humanitarian organisations have warned that the continuing return of large numbers of Afghans risks worsening the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, where many returnees face an uncertain future.