After Robbie Williams’ experienced a major career flop in the U.S., he will be returning to perform at the star-studded 2026 World Cup draw held in Washington D.C.
Robbie Williams’ ambitious biopic Better Man has crashed and burned at the US box office(Image: Getty)
Robbie Williams has been announced as one of the artists taking the stage at the 2026 World Cup draw, despite his latest career flop in the U.S.
FIFA today unveiled its star-studded line-up for the show, which is slated to take place at the historic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. at 12:00 ET on Friday, December 5.
This year’s event will be a memorable one as it has been revealed that the sporting event will be co-hosted by Kevin Hart, Heidi Klum and Danny Ramirez. In addition to commentary from these hilarious and talented hosts, Robbie is also expected to take the stage for a live performance alongside Maestro Andrea Bocelli and Nicole Scherzinger.
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This announcement comes shortly after Robbie’s bold biographical film Better Man has spectacularly flopped at the American box office, drawing mockery from US moviegoers.
The movie, which depicts the British pop star’s journey to stardom through a CGI monkey representing Williams himself, has struggled to resonate with American audiences, earning just $1.1 million internationally thus far.
The film portrays the British pop icon’s rise to fame using a CGI monkey(Image: Getty)
Created independently with a massive $110 million (£90.8m) price tag, the venture’s poor performance underscores the gap between Williams’ celebrity status in Britain and his virtual obscurity stateside.
Helmed by Michael Gracey of The Greatest Showman fame, Better Man explores the peaks and valleys of Williams’ career, covering his time with the boy band Take That, his individual achievements, addiction battles, mental health challenges, and his rocky bond with father Pete, portrayed by Steve Pemberton.
Gracey characterized the movie as an unfiltered examination of Williams, showing how he perceived himself as “less evolved than other people.”
Even with the personal and artistic gambles involved in making the film, its American reception mirrors Williams’ persistent failure to penetrate the US entertainment landscape.
Robbie poses with his wife Ayda Field (Image: Getty)
Numerous Americans have flocked to social platforms to ridicule both the movie and its star, with many questioning why the biographical picture was promoted in a nation where Williams remains virtually unrecognized.
One X user commented, “I expected this film to bomb simply because they were promoting Robbie Williams as a more massive pop icon than he really is. Nobody outside the UK recognizes who he is on a mainstream level. Not even saying he’s a terrible performer… but a global release… not gonna succeed.”
Another user shared the same view, asking directly, “Does anyone in America even know who Robbie Williams is?”
Robbie will be performing at the 2026 World Cup draw(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
A third provided background for confused American viewers, explaining, “Not many people know who Robbie Williams is in the USA. It’s a UK-only type of thing. For those of you who don’t know who he is, he is a singer from a 90s boy band Take That. They are Beatles status in the UK, but in the USA it’s like they never existed.”
While numerous people wrote off the movie due to their lack of knowledge about Williams, some users came to its defense, encouraging Americans to give it a shot.
A supporter posted, “I’m not kidding, America. Go watch Better Man, it’s really good. You don’t have to know Robbie Williams.”
In the same vein, another countered, “‘I don’t know who Robbie Williams is, so why would I see the movie?’ Aside from all the other reasons that’s dumb, you also don’t know who any fictional character is until you see their movie lol. That’s how watching movies works. John Wick? I don’t know that guy! Why would I see it?”
Robbie has more notoriety in the UK (Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
While Better Man has performed more successfully in the UK, its figures remain disappointing given the budget, bringing in £1.5 million ($2 million) in its opening week and £3.8 million ($5.06 million) to date.
David A. Gross, who heads up Franchise Entertainment Research, shared with Variety, “Robbie Williams played by a digitally animated chimpanzee [is] an outlandish choice. For anyone complaining that the industry plays it too safe, this is your movie. The risk-taking is excellent, but $110m is not realistic for the genre and for this musical artist. $25 to $30m would have made more sense.”
Even though Better Man has faced challenges at the box office, the film has earned rave reviews, with numerous critics hailing it as one of the most distinctive and captivating biopics in recent memory.
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