Shakira, Madonna and BTS headline historic first World Cup halftime show

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, transitioned from a high-stakes athletic competition between Spain and Argentina into a landmark cultural event. For the first time in the tournament’s history, organizers staged a halftime show, adopting a model traditionally associated with American sporting spectacles. The performance, which extended the interval between halves to nearly 30 minutes, featured a collaborative lineup including Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Shakira.

The production, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and produced in partnership with Global Citizen, drew a capacity crowd at the 80,000-seat stadium. Celebrities including Pharrell, Matt Damon, Adrien Brody, and Will Ferrell were observed in the audience, alongside President Trump.

Madonna opened the segment in a pre-recorded sequence, navigating the stadium tunnels in a dune buggy steered by former Brazilian soccer stars Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. She emerged to perform a rendition of her 2000 hit "Music," incorporating elements of "Disco Inferno" and "Danceteria," before transitioning to the pitch to introduce conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Dudamel led musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra in a performance of "Seven Nation Army," accompanied by the Electric Mayhem rock group from The Muppets and Iranian violinist Bijan Mortazavi.

K-pop group BTS performed "Dynamite," featuring choreography influenced by soccer, while Justin Bieber delivered a soulful version of his 2025 track "Everything Hallelujah." Following an appearance by fictional soccer figures Ted Lasso and Coach Beard, who offered encouragement to Bieber, the stage was handed to Shakira and Burna Boy. The pair performed "Dai Dai," the official song of the tournament, backed by the Ghetto Kids.

"The World Cup has been part of my journey for a long time, so being invited to perform at the first-ever halftime show feels incredibly meaningful. To get up and perform this song on the world’s biggest stage is going to be electric."

Shakira, via Vogue

For her appearance, Shakira wore a custom design by Fausto Puglisi for Roberto Cavalli. The outfit, inspired by the sunset colors of Mexico City’s La Condesa neighborhood, featured a palette of orange and pink and was embellished with over 200,000 Swarovski crystals. The look was intended to evoke the aesthetic of her 2010 World Cup closing ceremony performance.

The finale featured appearances by students from Staten Island’s PS22, Coldplay, and Australian singer-songwriter Emmanuel Kelly, who premiered the original song "We Dance."

While the International Football Association Board (IFAB) typically advises against extended intervals, FIFA utilized tournament competition regulations to permit the pause. The event served as part of a fundraising effort for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, supported by a donation from ticket sales. Executive producer Guy Carrington noted that the show was designed to prioritize global collaboration.