World Cup Final Crowd at MetLife Puts Spain’s Win on a U.S. Showpiece Stage

Spain’s World Cup final victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium was the central sporting story, but the setting around the match also mattered. According to a roundup by The Athletic, the final in New Jersey drew a high-profile crowd that included Tom Brady, Rihanna, Elmo, Spanish royals and senior political figures.

For FootballGames10 readers, the football angle is the scale of the event around the match. A World Cup final staged just outside New York City gave FIFA a showcase in the U.S. market, with broadcast cameras repeatedly cutting from the pitch to prominent guests in the stands.

The Athletic’s report was an attendance and celebrity roundup rather than a match report, so the names should be read as part of the matchday scene, not as evidence of any sporting role in Spain’s win.

What was reported from MetLife Stadium

A final framed by the New York market

MetLife Stadium’s location shaped the off-pitch coverage. The venue sits in New Jersey, close to New York City, making it a natural destination for U.S.-based public figures and entertainers.

The Athletic reported that the event even included a red-carpet-style arrival area for famous guests. That detail fits the wider presentation of the final as both a football match and a major American sports event.

This matters because FIFA’s tournament in North America is being judged on more than match attendance. Broadcast reach, sponsorship appeal and cultural visibility all feed into how the World Cup is positioned in the United States. Spain’s victory over Argentina was the football outcome, but the scene around it showed how aggressively the final was packaged for a broader audience.

Football remained the core story

The guest list should not be treated as more important than the match. Spain won the final, Argentina lost it, and the football consequences sit with the players, coaches and national federations.

Still, the presence of figures such as Tom Brady and other well-known sports names showed the crossover pull of the fixture. The Athletic also reported appearances by Pau Gasol, Mike Tyson, Victor Wembanyama, Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz, Kevin Hart, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union.

Some of those guests had clear football connections or national-interest angles. Gasol was present as Spain won the title. Tyson was reported as supporting Argentina, with The Athletic linking that to his admiration for Lionel Messi and his connection to Diego Maradona. Kevin Hart was reported to have presented the player of the match award to Spain goalscorer Ferran Torres.

Royals, politicians and the trophy moment

Spain’s royal family was among the most relevant football-adjacent attendance details. King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía were reported at MetLife Stadium to support Spain.

The Athletic also reported that U.S. President Donald Trump attended with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and later appeared during the trophy presentation. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was also mentioned in the report as having been photographed shaking hands with Trump at the final.

Argentina’s President Javier Milei was reported as absent. The Athletic attributed that to a superstition about watching from the same place where he had watched Argentina’s previous wins. That should be treated as reported context, not as an official explanation unless confirmed separately by Milei or his office.

Elmo, Tom Cruise and broadcast cutaways

The lighter side of the event included Elmo, who had become part of the wider tournament conversation on social media. The Athletic reported that Elmo was at the final and was seen with Tom Cruise.

Cruise was also reported to have delivered a pre-match speech using themes of unity and the tournament’s “final chapter.” The Athletic’s account separated that from other ceremony participants, noting that some well-known performers were excluded from its cameo list because they were part of official event programming.

The report also noted commentary errors during coverage, including a mix-up involving Pharrell Williams and A$AP Rocky, and a separate broadcast misidentification of Matt Damon. Those details are not football developments, but they show how closely the final’s presentation was being watched beyond the action on the field.

What remains unclear

The Athletic’s article is a secondary roundup based on sightings, broadcast moments and social posts. It does not establish a full official attendance list, nor does it confirm every guest through FIFA documentation.

Readers should avoid assuming that every photographed or mentioned person had an official role at the match. The safest distinction is between reported attendees, ceremony participants, and people who took part in the trophy or award presentation.

For firmer detail, the next checks are FIFA’s official match materials, federation reaction from Spain and Argentina, and any verified stadium or tournament communications about ceremony roles and attendance.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7457094/2026/07/19/world-cup-final-celebrities-tom-brady-elmo/