2026 World Cup final opens with trophy in Louis Vuitton trunk, earnest Tom Cruise speech

With the 2026 World Cup coming to a close, FIFA and the United States decided to end it on a (slightly baffling) bang. The final match between Argentina and Spain in New York New Jersey Stadium kicked off with a lengthy closing ceremony. After a rendition of the U.S. national anthem sung by Jennifer Hudson , the World Cup trophy was presented in an unlikely place: a specialized Louis Vuitton trunk. Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz and South Korean actress Jung Ho-Yeon carried out the trunk, resting it on a pedestal and opening it to reveal the iconic golden trophy. FIFA World Cup Champions are in the house to present the winner's trophy 🏆 2010 Champion with Spain, Andrés Iniesta, and 1978 Champion with Argentina, Mario Kempes get us ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final pic.twitter.com/6ryehSok7t — FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026 The ceremony then moved to a speech from Tom Cruise, who stood solo in all-black clothing to earnestly speak about the importance of the World Cup and the beautiful game. "More than 30 days ago, 48 nations began a journey. They crossed oceans, they crossed borders, they crossed cultures. And together, they showed us why this game belongs to the world," Cruise said. You get the idea. 🏆 @TomCruise sets the stage for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final pic.twitter.com/xTGioy3TSh — FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026 The series of events raises many questions. It's unclear why the French luxury brand was seemingly commissioned to make a trophy case, or why Cruise — whose pre-taped segment for Fox was sponsored by his new movie, Digger — was the one tapped to talk about soccer. It also raises questions about the cost, though given the sky-high prices for the event , it's possible that FIFA decided to spare no expense for the festivities. Either way, it's textbook FIFA: a little weird, and a little too over the top. Most fans were probably relieved when the soccer finally started.