World Cup final kick-off delayed six minutes after ceremony overruns

The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina kicked off six minutes later than planned at MetLife Stadium after FIFA's pre-match closing ceremony overran, with the national anthems still being sung at the scheduled 8pm BST start.

Lionel Messi got the match under way for Argentina at 8.06pm. The players had been due to emerge from the tunnel for the anthems at 7.50pm but were around five minutes late doing so, with the delay attributed to the extended ceremonial programme and the staging being cleared from the pitch.

What caused the delay

A two-part closing ceremony had been timetabled to begin an hour and a half before kick-off, with the first segment pencilled in for 6.30pm. That start was pushed back by several minutes. Jennifer Hudson performed the United States' national anthem, followed by a set from Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, and then an on-pitch speech by Tom Cruise. Staging was removed after the opening half of the ceremony, with the second part taking place at around 7.45pm once the players had warmed up.

• Kick-off scheduled for 8pm BST, actually started at 8.06pm
• Players reached the tunnel about five minutes later than the 7.50pm plan for anthems
• Closing ceremony split into two parts, with the first pushed back from 6.30pm
• Performers included Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Tom Cruise
• A technical fault with FIFA's ticket-scanning system caused long entry queues

Security and entry issues

Additional security measures were in place around the stadium because of President Donald Trump's attendance, the first match of the tournament he has been present at. Secret service agents were stationed at entrances, mirroring procedures used for the World Cup draw ceremony in December. Trump is also expected to present the trophy to the winning captain, as he did after last year's Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. Separately, problems with FIFA's ticket-scanning system left supporters facing long queues and confusion at the turnstiles.

The final is also staging the first-ever World Cup half-time show, with Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and K-pop group BTS listed as co-headliners. With the match now under way, attention will turn to the trophy presentation and to whether FIFA reviews the pre-match scheduling that pushed the showpiece's start back.