Justin Bieber made a surprise appearance at Fanatics Fest 2026 — and didn’t need a shirt for the special occasion.
The singer, 32, took the stage inside the Javits Center in New York City on Saturday, July 18, performing for those attending the sports fan festival that aims to bring together the biggest athletes, leagues, collectors, brands and fans for a multi-day celebration of both sports and culture.
Bieber ditched his shirt during the performance, showing off his massive tattoo collection. To complete his ensemble, he wore a pair of white checkered shorts, a yellow baseball hat and a pair of sunglasses.
After performing “Yukon” for fans, the singer hit the basketball court to show off his hooping skills before hitting around a hockey puck and playing some golf.
Bieber has been making more public appearances as of late in the wake of his 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival performances and the release of his latest album — SWAG LIFE FROM COACHELLA (WEEKEND2).
Justin Bieber attends the Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 Getty Images
Last month, the singer also made a surprise appearance at the 2026 NHL Draft, held at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, to help announce the first overall pick. (For the uninitiated, Bieber is an avid hockey fan and lifelong supporter of the Toronto Maple Leaves, who had the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.)
As expected, Justin announced that Toronto had selected Penn State alum Gavin McKenna.
“What an incredible night,” Bieber said from the draft floor. “The child in me is ecstatic right now. I’ve been a Leafs fan since I was just a little boy. These nights are so special. I’m so grateful to be here.”
As promised, Fanatics Fest 2026 has been one for the record books — and isn’t without controversy. After now-viral footage showed NFL legend Tom Brady hitting social media influencer and WWE star Logan Paul across the face during a joining appearance at the NYC convention, Paul, 31, took to social media to issue a warning of sorts to the former quarterback.
“I’m suing @tombrady,” Paul claimed via Instagram on Friday, July 17, alongside footage of the alleged altercation.
During their joining appearance, Paul chastised the NFL commentator, 48, telling him that as the “goat” he “should be doing dope s***.”
“You weren’t,” he added. “I’m a Youtuber … so what?”
A former Toronto Maple Leafs player criticized the appearance of the team’s most famous fan — Justin Bieber — at Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Carlo Colaiacovo, who played six seasons for the Leafs between 2002 and 2009, reacted to Bieber’s presence behind the Toronto bench during their showdown with the Florida Panthers […]
The WWE star then threatened to “hurt” Brady if he returned to the convention next year, prompting the NFL icon to fire back with an open-handed slap.
“Mad bc I smoked him in,” Paul wrote over footage of the incident via his Instagram Stories later on Friday. “Blocked [with] a torn tricep.”
Leigh Soriano (@oldfashionedhussle) is at Fanatics Fest 2026 and she did not miss a thing. Every celebrity, every athlete, every moment — follow along on @usweekly on TikTok and Instagram. Here For It.
