SerpApi.Org
The final between Argentina and Spain hadn't kicked off yet, and Jennifer Hudson had already given the global audience something to talk about.
Hudson, the EGOT-winning singer, delivered "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final on Sunday afternoon at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Standing on a long navy carpet stretched across the pitch, she wore a custom white Thom Browne three-piece — a fitted silk-crepe jacket, square-neck corset, and floor-length pencil skirt with navy piping and the designer's signature red, white, and navy stripes. Her performance closed on a sustained high note, a roar from the stadium crowd, and a military flyover above the venue.
Watch the Full Performance: Jennifer Hudson I National Anthem at the FIFA World Cup 2026™
As the host nation for the 2026 tournament, the United States presented its anthem alongside those of the two finalists — María Becerra performed the Argentine national anthem, while Spanish Brass played Spain's "Marcha Real" instrumentally, as the Spanish anthem carries no official lyrics. FIFA had announced Hudson's inclusion in advance, describing it as a "special rendition" designed to help set the stage for the final.
What generated the bulk of the post-match conversation was not the anthem's presence, but how Hudson chose to sing it.
Viewers who praised the rendition pointed to the gospel and R&B phrasing she brought to the melody, describing it as powerful and theatrical. Those who took issue argued she slowed the anthem too dramatically or departed too far from its familiar structure. That is a debate American audiences reliably have after major anthem performances: singers are judged not only on vocal ability but on tempo, arrangement, and fidelity to the traditional melody. Whitney Houston's 1991 Super Bowl rendition remains the benchmark precisely because it balanced vocal freedom with structural clarity — a standard that makes every subsequent interpretation a referendum on the same question.
Hudson's performance arrived five days after she sang "America the Beautiful" at the 2026 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia, where Patti LaBelle handled the national anthem. Sunday's World Cup slot marked her second major patriotic showcase of the month.
The pre-match program also included Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, IShowSpeed, and headliner Post Malone. The first-ever World Cup Final halftime show followed, featuring Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Shakira. Spain defeated Argentina 1–0 in extra time to claim its second men's World Cup title.
