FIFA Announces Madonna, Shakira and BTS for First-Ever World Cup Final Half-Time Show

FIFA has confirmed that global music stars Madonna, Shakira and BTS will headline the first half-time show in World Cup final history.

The show will take place during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, has been chosen to curate the entertainment event, which is being modelled after the Super Bowl half-time spectacle.

The 2026 World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be the largest edition of the tournament with 48 participating nations.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino described the planned performance as a landmark moment for football.

“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world,” Infantino wrote on Instagram.

The decision follows the growing trend of integrating major music performances into football finals.

At the 2024 Copa America final, Shakira performed during half-time at Hard Rock Stadium, while last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium also featured an extended musical break.

The addition of a large-scale concert has raised questions about whether the World Cup final half-time interval will exceed football’s standard 15 minutes.

Infantino also announced plans for FIFA to stage fan activities in Times Square throughout the final weekend.

According to FIFA, the half-time event will support the Global Citizen Education Fund, which hopes to raise $100 million to assist children worldwide.

Meanwhile, Shakira has begun promoting the tournament’s official song, “Dai Dai”, produced with Nigerian superstar Burna Boy.

In a recently released teaser video filmed at Maracanã Stadium, the Colombian singer performs sections of the track while holding the official World Cup ball.

The video also features dancers dressed in the colours of countries including Colombia and the United States before ending with the slogan: “We’re ready!”

Shakira previously performed at the 2006 and 2014 World Cup finals and famously recorded the 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka”.

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