Post Malone debuted a new song during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final closing ceremony on Sunday, kicking off the championship match with a three-song performance that also featured two of his biggest hits.
The 31-year-old “Better Now” singer took the stage at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, roughly 90 minutes before kickoff as Argentina prepared to face Spain in the tournament’s championship match. Wearing his signature denim, cowboy hat, and a white T-shirt that read, “I Just Hope Both Teams Have Fun,” Malone opened the three-song set with the unreleased track titled “Chrome Heartbreaker.”
The performance marked the song’s live debut after Malone spent the past week teasing it on social media, giving fans their first chance to hear the track before its official release.
He quickly shifted gears with his 2018 smash hit “Wow.,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, before closing the set with “Sunflower.” Swae Lee joined Malone onstage for the performance of the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single from the 2018 animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
Fireworks, Special Guests Fuel Pregame Spectacle
Standing atop a massive stage positioned on the field, Malone performed as fireworks exploded around the stadium, creating a spectacle worthy of one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
The performance served as the final pregame celebration before the highly anticipated championship match between two of international soccer’s biggest powers.
GettyStar-Studded Ceremony Blends Music and Global Sports
Malone headlined an entertainment-filled opening ceremony that featured appearances from several stars across music, film and digital media. Before he took the field, YouTube personality IShowSpeed energized the crowd with a performance of his song “Champions,” backed by drummers and dancers dressed in colorful tracksuits.
GettyActor Tom Cruise also appeared during the festivities ahead of the release of his upcoming film, “Digger,” while Jennifer Hudson delivered the United States national anthem before kickoff. Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino described Malone’s appearance as a defining moment for the tournament.”At a time when sport, culture and global attention converge, Post Malone will deliver a performance designed to celebrate the tournament’s journey and ignite the atmosphere before the world’s attention turns to the two finalists,” Infantino said in a statement.
He added that the closing ceremony would unite “the passion of 48 teams, 16 host cities and millions of fans on one unforgettable stage.”
Malone’s performance capped off months of entertainment that accompanied the expanded 48-team tournament, which took place across 16 host cities throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The singer arrived at the World Cup while continuing his Stadium Tour with Jelly Roll, adding another major live performance to a busy year.
The festivities did not end once the match began. FIFA also planned an 11-minute halftime show featuring BTS, Justin Bieber, Madonna and Shakira. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated the star-studded production, which aimed to bring together artists from across generations and genres on one of sports’ biggest stages.
With the final underway, attention turned from the entertainment to the action on the pitch as Argentina and Spain battled for the sport’s biggest prize.
Although the 2026 tournament came to a close Sunday, FIFA has already announced plans for the next edition. The 2030 FIFA World Cup will celebrate the competition’s 100th anniversary and take place in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, continuing the tournament’s tradition of combining global sports with unforgettable entertainment.
