Tom Cruise gives World Cup final a Hollywood sendoff
Tom Cruise appeared during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final pre-show before Spain faced Argentina, praising football as a force for unity.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Tom Cruise brought a shot of movie-star voltage to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final pre-show, appearing before Spain and Argentina met to decide the tournament champion.
Deadline reported that the actor took the stage during the buildup to the final and delivered a short speech celebrating the tournament, the teams and the global pull of football.
According to Deadline, Cruise opened by framing the competition as a monthlong international journey involving 48 nations.
“More than 30 days ago, 48 nations began a journey,” Cruise said, according to Deadline. “They crossed oceans. They crossed borders. They crossed cultures. And together they showed us why this game belongs to the world.”
The appearance came during the pre-show for the final, with Fox carrying imagery of Cruise at the event, according to Deadline. Fox Sports also posted video of his remarks on YouTube.
Cruise continued by pointing to the scale of the tournament and the way it had drawn viewers and teams from around the world.
“From three countries across them, and from every corner of the globe, we have witnessed greatness, and we have shared in moments of joy, moments of hope, moments we will all never forget,” Cruise said, according to Deadline.
He then leaned into football’s familiar status as the world’s game, describing it as something that can connect people without translation.
“Football is a language spoken without words, a force that unites people, that turns strangers into friends and reminds us of what we all have in common,” Cruise said, according to Deadline.
The actor closed his appearance by asking fans to mark the end of the tournament together.
“As we gather for one final chapter, let us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together,” Cruise said, according to Deadline. “Let us celebrate each other. This is football. This is unity. And this is greatness.”
The final pitted Spain against Argentina, with the winner set to be crowned soccer’s world champion, Deadline reported.
Cruise’s appearance added a Hollywood face to the final-day pageantry, but the focus of his remarks stayed on the tournament’s international sweep: 48 nations, more than 30 days of play and one last match to close it out.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.