- Jul 20
Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Justin Bieber star in World Cup's first halftime show as Spain beats Argentina
The FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium featured the tournament's first-ever halftime show, with performances by Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Justin Bieber.
- Jul 19
World Cup final halftime show stretches to 27 minutes as Madonna, Bieber, Shakira perform
FIFA's first-ever World Cup final halftime show featured Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS and Shakira, but the break lasted 27 minutes and 20 seconds, violating football's 15-minute rule and drawing criticism from former players.
- Jul 19
Spain clinches second World Cup with 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina, FIFA probes final's mass brawl
Ferran Torres scored an extra-time winner as Spain defeated 10-man Argentina 1-0 in New Jersey, a match that ended in a brawl sparking a FIFA disciplinary investigation.
- Jul 13
Tom Cruise goes under heavy prosthetics for Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Digger as a corrupt oil tycoon in eco-satire
The first full trailer for Alejandro G. Iñárritu's dark comedy shows Cruise hidden under layers of prosthetics, a pot belly, and a Southern drawl as Digger Rockwell, a billionaire whose company may have triggered an eco-disaster. The film opens worldwide October 2.
- Jul 13
Nolan's 'The Odyssey' opens with $264m globally, his biggest debut yet, as 70mm pilgrims cross borders
The three-hour IMAX epic took $124.5m in North America and $139.6m internationally, landing as the third-biggest domestic opening of 2026 despite an R-rating and competition from the World Cup final.
- Jun 19
Freeman goal sends United States into World Cup round of 32 as concussion row flares
The United States secured a place in the World Cup round of 32 with a 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle. Alex Freeman's first-half header and a Cameron Burgess own goal were enough for the co-hosts, but the match also drew attention after Freeman was cleared to continue following a head collision.
- Jun 15
Trudeau says 'boyfriend duties' called after skipping Canada's World Cup opener for US match with Katy Perry
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced criticism for missing Canada's first World Cup match to attend the US opener, where his girlfriend Katy Perry performed, and replied that 'boyfriend duties call.'
- Jun 13
Italian TV confuses Bill Gates for the deceased Steve Jobs during World Cup broadcast, igniting viral mockery
An Italian public broadcaster's newscast committed a viral blunder by listing the late Steve Jobs among celebrities at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, confusing him with Bill Gates and prompting widespread ridicule online.
- Jun 13
Star-studded opener: USA rolls past Paraguay 4-1 as Tom Cruise, Katy Perry and David Beckham light up Los Angeles
A galaxy of celebrities including Tom Cruise, David Beckham and Katy Perry gathered at SoFi Stadium as the United States began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay.
- Jun 12
David Beckham gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star as World Cup kicks off in LA
David Beckham unveiled his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame just hours before the first 2026 World Cup match on US soil, with Tom Cruise and Victoria Beckham paying tribute.
