Fireworks at 2026 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony were white, not blue

Spain beat
Argentina 1-0 on July 19, with Ferran Torres scoring the only goal of the game in extra time ( archived link
). After the match and the trophy presentation, a fireworks display began, launched from the top of the New York New Jersey Stadium.

Similar claims were shared across Weibo
, Threads
and Xiaohongshu
in Chinese. It also spread in multiple languages on  X
, Facebook
and Instagram
.

However, the fireworks were white, as seen in an AFP photo
of the trophy ceremony after the match. 

A reverse image search
with keyframes of the video also led to footage published by German broadcaster Magenta TV
that shows the fireworks from a similar angle, displaying white smoke instead of blue ( archived link
). 

Footage
from Sports TV — a YouTube channel managed by Pakistani digital content distributor Dot Republic Media —
captured from the outside of the stadium also shows that the fireworks were white ( archived link
). 

During the final match, various colours of fireworks were displayed: the colours of the rainbow were shown in the halftime show, and before the game began, the flags
of Spain and Argentina appeared with pyrotechnics, but on the field of play and not above the stadium.

AFP has reached out to FIFA but no immediate response is forthcoming. 

AFP has debunked other misinformation related to the 2026 World Cup
.