With a rousing rendition of FIFA’s new anthem “Desire,” Britain’s Robbie Williams and Italy’s Laura Pausini kicked off a historic day at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
That venue was chosen for the final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, who faced each other for the title of the first Club World Cup expanded to 32 teams.
Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini together
The international duo of Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini opened the pre-game ceremony with an emotional and symbolic performance in front of more than 81,000 spectators in the stands and millions of television viewers around the world.
His performance took place on a central stage set up on the field, just before the U.S. national anthem and the traditional fighter jet flyover that marked the official start of the event.
A hymn for global unity
DESIRE LIVE🎤
Laura Pausini and Robbie Williams singing #Desire for the first time live at #FifaWorldClubCup ⚽ pic.twitter.com/RLuHLcmAcQ
– Welcome Fanpage Argentina (@BienvenidoLPAR) July 13, 2025
“Desire,” the song they both performed, is FIFA’s new official anthem, created to celebrate diversity, passion and the coming together of cultures through soccer.
The song was produced by Global Citizen, with artistic supervision by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who also participated in the halftime show.
Robbie Williams, a British pop icon, and Laura Pausini, the undisputed reference of Italian and Latin music, gave an impeccable performance, alternating verses in English and Italian.
The moment was accompanied by a display of special effects, smoke columns, synchronized fire and a choreography designed to reflect the multicultural nature of the tournament.
An opening with the flavor of an international gala
In addition to its musical strength, the pre-ceremony was a parade of international figures.
In the presidential box were U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Also in attendance was former soccer legend Tom Brady, in a clear nod to the union of the country’s most popular sports.
Music, soccer and culture at the center of the show
The presence of Williams and Pausini to open the event musically reinforces the message that FIFA wanted to project with this new format of the Club World Cup: A global competition, inclusive and open to different audiences.
Both artists have a wide fan base in Latin America, Europe and the United States, and their collaboration was well received both in the stadium and on social media, where the clip of their performance quickly trended.
Pausini and Williams’ performance marked the first act of a night full of music and soccer.
Latin flavor with J Balvin
Buzzy
Later, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems and Emmanuel Kelly took the break stage in a production also directed by Chris Martin and produced by Global Citizen.
Consolidating the Club World Cup not only as a sporting tournament, but also as a cultural festival of global stature.
For the millions of Hispanics in the United States, the presence of Laura Pausini – recognized for her legacy in Spanish – offered an additional emotional connection.
The combination with British pop legend Robbie Williams provided a powerful, emotional opening with a universal message.
Desiré celebrates diversity, passion, and the union of cultures through football
