FIFA has confirmed that Madonna, Shakira and South Korean group BTS will headline the first halftime show in the history of a World Cup final.
The performance will take place on July 19, 2026, during the tournament final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States. The spectacle will be inspired by the Super Bowl format and will be curated by Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay.
According to FIFA, the event will also serve to promote the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aimed at funding education and access-to-sport projects for children in different countries. Part of the ticket revenue will be allocated to the fund.
“The halftime show at the FIFA World Cup 2026 final will be a truly special moment, bringing together music, football and a shared commitment to improving the lives of children around the world,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino on social media.
The choice of artists brings together different generations and global markets of pop music. Shakira already has a strong connection with football after the success of Waka Waka, the song from the 2010 World Cup. Madonna, meanwhile, returns to a major sports stage after her historic performance at the Super Bowl in 2012.
For BTS, the event will mark one of the group’s first major international performances after the period of mandatory military service completed by its members. Jungkook had already taken part in the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but this will be the full group’s debut at a sporting event of this scale.
The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will have an expanded format with 48 teams and 104 matches, surpassing the 64 games of previous editions thanks to the inclusion of a new knockout stage.
Photos: Instagram @shakira / @thv / @madonna. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
