BTS, Shakira, Madonna To Headline First World Cup Final Halftime Show
Madonna, Shakira, and BTS set to headline FIFA’s first-ever World Cup final halftime concert in New Jersey
FIFA is set to bring a Super Bowl-style entertainment spectacle to football’s biggest stage with the introduction of an official halftime concert during the 2026 World Cup final. The landmark event will take place on 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and feature performances from Madonna, Shakira, and BTS.
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The announcement arrived through a light-hearted social media video shared by Coldplay singer Chris Martin on Thursday. The clip featured appearances from Sesame Street favourites Elmo and Cookie Monster before expanding into cameos from The Muppets, including Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. Martin later appeared on a video call with BTS members, inviting the group to join the historic performance line-up.
The concert is being organised in partnership with Global Citizen and will support international education initiatives for children. The landmark initiative, through the half time show, hopes to raise $100 million.
For Shakira, the performance marks another chapter in her long association with the World Cup. Her 2010 hit “Waka Waka” became one of football’s most recognisable tournament songs and remains closely linked with the South Africa edition of the competition. This time, the Colombian singer is expected to perform “Dai Dai,” her recently released collaboration with Burna Boy that serves as the official anthem for the 2026 tournament.
Madonna also confirmed her participation online. The pop icon previously headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012 and now joins FIFA’s effort to turn the World Cup final into a global entertainment event beyond football itself.
BTS will take the stage after returning earlier this year following the completion of mandatory military service by all seven members in South Korea. Their comeback album ARIRANG recently spent multiple weeks on the Billboard 200 chart.
Several other artists are expected to participate in the wider tournament celebrations, including Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, Lisa, and Anitta. Perry is reportedly being lined up to headline the opening ceremony in Los Angeles.
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Hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to become the largest edition in the tournament’s history. With music and football now sharing the spotlight, FIFA appears determined to turn the final into a worldwide cultural event as much as a sporting one.