Madonna, Shakira, and BTS are officially set to headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Global Citizen announced the star-studded, 11-minute musical spectacle on Thursday, marking a major entertainment upgrade for football's biggest stage.
The historic line-up was revealed through a playful social media video featuring Coldplay frontman Chris Martin interacting with iconic Sesame Street and The Muppets characters like Elmo, Cookie Monster, Kermit and Miss Piggy. The promotional clip also featured a special FaceTime cameo from BTS, confirming their participation in the historic performance.
The event marks FIFA World Cup history by bringing a Super Bowl-style halftime show to the final match for the first time.
Shakira's connection with the FIFA World Cup goes back many years. The singer recently announced "Dai Dai" with Burna Boy as the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Earlier, her song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" became one of the biggest World Cup anthems during the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Shakira is also set to perform in New Jersey and New York in July as part of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour.
Also read: Shakira draws record 2 million fans at free concert
Madonna is also preparing for a busy month with the release of her upcoming album “Confessions II”, which will arrive on July 3. The singer recently released songs including "Bring Your Love" with Sabrina Carpenter and "I Feel So Free."
Meanwhile, BTS made a major comeback earlier this year with their sixth studio album “ARIRANG”, their first full project after the members completed military service. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and remained there for three weeks. The group is currently on their ARIRANG WORLD TOUR.
According to reports, the halftime show is being organised by Global Citizen along with Coldplay singer Chris Martin. The event will also help raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to support children's education and football opportunities around the world.
Last week, FIFA had also announced performers for the opening ceremonies of the 2026 World Cup. Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, LISA and Anitta are among the stars who will perform across events in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Interestingly, both Madonna and Shakira have previously headlined Super Bowl halftime shows. Madonna performed at the 2012 Super Bowl, while Shakira shared the stage with Jennifer Lopez during the 2020 edition.
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