Quick answer: IShowSpeed performed at the FIFA World Cup on July 19, 2026, during the closing ceremony of the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. He was the first act on stage that day, singing his single “World Cup (Champions)” right before Spain played Argentina in the final match.
IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr., has turned his love of soccer into one of the biggest streamer-to-stadium crossovers ever seen. His World Cup final appearance did not come out of nowhere. It was the payoff of years of soccer content, two hit songs, and a direct invitation from FIFA itself. Here is exactly when it happened, how it came together, and what happened on stage.
Detail
Fact
Performance date
July 19, 2026
Venue
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Event
World Cup Final closing ceremony (Spain vs Argentina)
Song performed
“World Cup (Champions)”
Order on the bill
First performer of the ceremony
How he got the invite
Direct message/call from FIFA
Fan reaction
Mixed / divisive
Ceremony performer
Role / moment
IShowSpeed
Opened the ceremony with “World Cup (Champions)”
Jennifer Hudson
U.S. national anthem with a live band
Tom Cruise
Spoken appearance, addressed the crowd
Madonna
Halftime headliner, performed “Music”
Justin Bieber
Halftime set
BTS
Halftime set, first major stage return post-military service
Shakira & Burna Boy
Halftime reunion, performed “Dai Dai”
Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams
Supporting lineup
YouTube views in the first 24 hours: 2022 song vs 2026 song
“World Cup” (2022) ~2M in 18hrs*
“World Cup (Champions)” (2026) ~6M in 24hrs
*Bar heights are scaled for visual comparison, not an exact pixel ratio.
When exactly did IShowSpeed perform at the World Cup final?
IShowSpeed took the stage on Sunday, July 19, 2026, during the closing ceremony that led into the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. He was the very first performer to appear on the field that afternoon, ahead of the championship match between Spain and Argentina. His set featured a full production with drummers and dancers in bright tracksuits, giving the ceremony an energetic, stadium-ready opening. The moment capped off a run of soccer content that started years earlier, when IShowSpeed first began streaming FIFA video games and reacting to real matches.
What song did IShowSpeed sing at the World Cup?
He performed “World Cup (Champions),” a track built specifically for the 2026 tournament. Warner Records put the song out on June 1, 2026, about ten days before the World Cup kicked off, and it name-checks nearly all 48 participating nations with lyrics urging fans to wave their flags. The release strategy worked almost instantly: the music video pulled in millions of views within hours, and within days it had passed the view counts of some of FIFA’s own official promotional anthems on social platforms. For anyone building a timeline of the song’s rise, that speed of growth is the reason FIFA noticed it in the first place.
How did IShowSpeed end up performing at the World Cup?
FIFA reached out to him directly after “World Cup (Champions)” blew up online. IShowSpeed later told his audience that he got an unexpected call from FIFA asking him to perform the song at the final, and that he thought it was a prank at first. Before that call, he had already pushed publicly for FIFA to adopt the song as an official anthem, and the organization initially replied with a noncommittal “we will be in touch” message. Within days, though, FIFA confirmed the track would appear on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album, an 18-track compilation released on June 5 through FIFA Sound and Universal Music alongside artists like Shakira, Burna Boy, Daddy Yankee, and Tyla. That album placement was the clearest signal that a ceremony slot was coming, and it followed an existing relationship between FIFA and IShowSpeed, since FIFA president Gianni Infantino had appeared on his channel back in May 2025 to unveil the Club World Cup trophy.
Was this IShowSpeed’s first World Cup song?
No, it was his second. His first World Cup track, simply titled “World Cup,” came out through Warner Records on November 4, 2022, ahead of that year’s tournament in Qatar. That original song became a genuine hit in its own right, eventually earning a Gold certification and racking up well over 200 million YouTube views over time. It grew out of his broader soccer obsession, which started when a stream donor asked him who his favorite player was and he answered with an enthusiastic shoutout to Cristiano Ronaldo. That single moment turned into years of FIFA video game streams, real match reactions, and eventually an invite to the Sidemen charity soccer match. Knowing that history helps explain why FIFA trusted him with a global stage in 2026: he had already built a genuine, years-long track record as a soccer fan, not just a one-off publicity stunt.
Who else performed at the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony?
IShowSpeed opened the show, but he was far from the only name on the bill. Jennifer Hudson performed the U.S. national anthem with a live band, and actor Tom Cruise addressed the crowd before kickoff. The halftime show, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, turned into one of the longest breaks in World Cup history at just over 27 minutes, headlined by Madonna performing her hit “Music.” Justin Bieber also took the stage, BTS made an appearance as part of their comeback following military service, and Shakira reunited with Burna Boy to perform “Dai Dai,” a song that had already become one of the tournament’s signature anthems since debuting at the opening ceremony in Mexico City. The full lineup also included Italian singer Laura Pausini and pop stars Nicole Scherzinger and Robbie Williams, giving the ceremony a mix of global pop names alongside IShowSpeed’s internet-native energy.
How did fans react to IShowSpeed performing at the World Cup?
Reaction was split down the middle. Plenty of fans loved seeing a streamer with a genuine soccer fanbase get a real stadium moment, especially since his songs had organically outperformed some official content in early view counts. Other football fans pushed back, arguing that a social media personality did not belong in a ceremonial slot traditionally reserved for musicians and cultural icons. That divide even spilled into a fact-checking dispute earlier in the tournament, when some outlets had to clarify exaggerated claims that “World Cup (Champions)” had outright beaten Shakira’s official anthem in views. The controversy did not stop FIFA from following through on the booking, and the performance went ahead as planned on July 19.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did IShowSpeed perform before the final or at halftime?
He performed before the final, as the opening act of the closing ceremony, not during halftime. Halftime belonged to Madonna’s headlining set along with Justin Bieber, BTS, and the Shakira/Burna Boy reunion.
Where did IShowSpeed perform at the World Cup?
He performed at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the venue that hosted the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
Is “World Cup (Champions)” an official FIFA anthem?
It is not the single official tournament anthem, but it was included on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album, a FIFA Sound and Universal Music compilation released on June 5, 2026, alongside tracks from artists like Shakira, Daddy Yankee, and Tyla.
Has IShowSpeed made a World Cup song before 2026?
Yes. His first World Cup single, “World Cup,” released in November 2022 for the Qatar World Cup, and it later earned a Gold certification after accumulating over 200 million YouTube views.
I’m the mom behind Wise Mom Blogger, where everyday creativity meets real-life motherhood. I share easy DIY crafts, cozy knitting and crochet projects, beginner-friendly sewing ideas, and family-tested recipes—plus quick baking hacks that make homemade feel doable on busy days.
