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

Shakira, Madonna and BTS to Headline First-Ever World Cup Final Halftime Show

FIFA and Global Citizen announced that Shakira, Madonna, and K-pop supergroup BTS will co-headline the inaugural halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The performance, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and produced by Global Citizen, will mark the first time in the tournament’s 96-year history that a Super Bowl-style entertainment spectacle accompanies the championship match.globalcitizen

A Stage for Music and Advocacy

The halftime show is the centerpiece of a multi-year partnership between FIFA and Global Citizen, the international advocacy organization, first announced in September 2024. The event aims to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which seeks to raise $100 million by the end of the tournament to expand access to education and football for children in underserved communities worldwide. The fund has already secured over $30 million and awarded its first 27 grants to grassroots organizations across 10 countries, FIFA and Global Citizen announced on May 11.ministryofsport

Characters from “Sesame Street” and “The Muppets” are also listed in the lineup, signaling an intergenerational approach. BTS said in a statement through their agency Big Hit Music that it is “a great honor to stand on such a meaningful stage that the whole world shares together,” adding, “We believe music is a universal language that conveys hope and unity”.sedaily

BTS Returns to the World Cup Stage

The announcement carries particular weight for BTS, whose member Jungkook performed “Dreamers” at the 2022 Qatar World Cup opening ceremony. The seven-member group returned from mandatory military service earlier this year and released their sixth studio album, “Arirang,” in March. Shares of Hybe, the group’s parent company, have been volatile this year — surging to a four-year high in January after BTS announced a 79-show world tour, then plunging more than 15% in March after a comeback concert in Seoul drew a smaller-than-expected crowd.cnbc

Shakira Delivers Another World Cup Anthem

Shakira, who previously provided the soundtrack for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, is also set to release “Dai Dai,” the official FIFA World Cup 2026 song featuring Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy, on May 14. Madonna, meanwhile, is preparing for the release of her album “Confessions II” in July. FIFA President Gianni Infantino first confirmed in April that Martin would curate the show, telling Semafor, “It’s not one, it’s more than one” artist, adding, “It will be the biggest in the world”.awfulannouncing