Jennifer Hudson delivered an emotional performance of the American national anthem prior to the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The singer, an EGOT recipient for her work across Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" in front of an audience that included President Donald Trump.
Some spectators expressed confusion regarding the anthem's performance, as the United States men's national team had been eliminated from the tournament earlier. Despite the national team's absence from the final match, Hudson's performance was met with widespread praise, with many viewers reporting emotional reactions.
Hudson, recognized by TIME as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, was selected by FIFA for the pregame event. Her vocal performance stood in contrast to earlier "closing ceremony" acts, some of which were criticized for perceived lip-syncing.
Also performing before the match were artists Post Malone and Swae Lee. Hudson's attire for the performance was an all-white suit featuring red, white, and blue stitching down the back. She stood on a central plinth, with flags visible behind her.
Social media users widely lauded Hudson's performance. Comments included praise for her vocal execution and the emotional impact of her rendition, with one user stating, "If the goal was to hit a high note and a high score, she just nailed both," and another adding, "Such a beautiful voice!" A third commenter described it as, "A powerful performance to set the stage for football's biggest night."