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Madonna, Shakira, and BTS to Perform at First-Ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show

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FIFA and Global Citizen Announce First-Ever Halftime Concert at 2026 World Cup Final

The 2026 World Cup final will feature its first-ever halftime concert, scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

FIFA, in partnership with Global Citizen, has announced that the 2026 World Cup final will feature its first-ever halftime concert. The performance is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Artists and Event Details

The halftime show will feature performances by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS. The concert is expected to last approximately 11 minutes. The event is being curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay in collaboration with Global Citizen.

The announcement was made on May 14 via a social media video that featured Chris Martin alongside characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets, including a FaceTime call with BTS.

Charitable Component

Proceeds from the halftime show will be donated to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The fund aims to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and football for children worldwide. According to reports, over $30 million has been raised to date, with $1 from each World Cup match ticket sold being contributed to the fund.

Background on the Artists

  • Shakira: Previously performed the official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, "Waka, Waka (This Time for Africa)." She has also been linked to the 2026 World Cup through a song titled "Dai Dai" with Burna Boy.
  • Madonna: Scheduled to release her album Confessions II on July 3, with lead singles including "Bring Your Love" featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
  • BTS: Returned from a hiatus with their album ARIRANG, released on March 20. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and remained there for three consecutive weeks. The group is currently on the ARIRANG WORLD TOUR.

Related Events

FIFA previously experimented with halftime entertainment during the 2025 Club World Cup, featuring performances by Doja Cat, Tems, and J Balvin.

Separately, FIFA has announced that Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, LISA, and Anitta will perform during the opening ceremonies of the 2026 World Cup across host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Tournament Context

The 2026 World Cup will begin on June 11. The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Fox Sports and Telemundo will broadcast the tournament for American audiences. The last FIFA World Cup hosted in the United States was in 1994, which remains the most attended edition in the tournament's history.