
Jennifer Hudson kicked off the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final with a powerhouse rendition of the US national anthem. It was the kind of typically commanding rendition to be expected from the powerhouse singer and third youngest EGOT winner in history. But whether due to a timing issue or some other logistical mishap, the end of Hudson’s performance did not sync up with the planned military flyover. Instead, FOX’s cameras were trained on the sky for roughly 30 seconds, seemingly waiting for the aircraft to appear. When the jets finally arrived, as captured in an Instagram video by influencer Gabby Gonzalez, they flew well off to the side of the stadium and appeared to go unnoticed by much of the crowd.