Madonna, Shakira and BTS to headline first-ever World Cup final halftime show

Madonna, Shakira and K-pop megastars BTS will headline a Super Bowl-style halftime show at the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA announced Thursday. The performance is the first of its kind at a football World Cup final, with Coldplay's Chris Martin curating the show.

What is the World Cup final halftime show and who is performing?

The World Cup final halftime show is a first-ever live performance at a FIFA World Cup final, headlined by Madonna, Shakira and BTS. Curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, the show will also feature characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets. It takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Why is FIFA staging a halftime show at the World Cup final?

FIFA president Gianni Infantino described the halftime show as "definitely the biggest stage ever," with six billion people expected to watch the tournament and "a couple of billion" tuning in for the final. The show will support FIFA's Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aiming to raise $100 million for children's education worldwide during the World Cup. Infantino had announced the plan last year, promising a halftime show "befitting the biggest sporting event in the world."

The concept was trialled at last year's FIFA Club World Cup final, also held at MetLife Stadium, though that performance stretched the halftime break beyond the regulation 15 minutes. The extended break has raised questions about how the interval will be managed at the World Cup final.

What role will Shakira play in the World Cup halftime show?

Shakira will perform the tournament's official anthem, "Dai Dai," at the halftime show and has pledged to donate all proceeds from the song to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. She announced the commitment at the Global Citizen NOW event in New York, saying: "These are very troubled times, and it's important that we all come together, to remember and to remind everyone how important our kids are and their education."

   View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Shakira (@shakira)

Shakira has a long association with the World Cup, having created the 2010 tournament anthem "Waka Waka." She previewed "Dai Dai" last week in a 67-second video filmed at Brazil's Maracanã Stadium, where she appeared on the pitch holding the "Trionda," the official match ball of the 2026 World Cup. The song was produced with Nigerian artist Burna Boy and released on Thursday.

In the clip, also shared by the FIFA World Cup account, Shakira performed excerpts of the song in English alongside dancers dressed in the colours of teams including the United States and Colombia. The video ends with the message: "We're ready!"

Shakira also performed at halftime during the 2024 Copa America final in Miami, and earlier this year gave a free concert at Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach in front of two million people.

What did Madonna and BTS say about the World Cup halftime show?

Both Madonna and BTS expressed support for the show's charitable purpose. In a statement, Madonna described the concert as "deeply meaningful to me." BTS added: "Music is the universal language of hope and harmony, and we're honored to celebrate that power at the World Cup by connecting with millions of viewers around the world in support of children's education."

What else is planned for the 2026 World Cup opening and final weekend?

The 2026 World Cup, the largest in history with 48 teams, kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Three separate opening ceremonies will be held, one in each host country, beginning in Mexico on June 11 and followed by Canada and the United States the next day. Global music stars including Katy Perry, Future, Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé, J Balvin and Lisa are set to perform across those three concerts.

FIFA president Infantino has also said that FIFA plans to take over New York's Times Square on the final weekend of the tournament.