Madonna, Shakira and BTS will headline the first halftime show ever staged during a FIFA World Cup final, bringing a Super Bowl-style entertainment format to soccer’s biggest match.
The performance is scheduled for July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the World Cup final will close the expanded tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. FIFA has described the show as part of a wider partnership with Global Citizen, aimed at linking the tournament’s global audience with education and youth soccer programs.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin will curate the halftime show. FIFA said the event will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is seeking to raise $100 million to expand access to education and soccer for children around the world.
The announcement marks a shift for World Cup finals, which traditionally have not featured major halftime concerts. FIFA had previously confirmed that Global Citizen would produce the first World Cup final halftime show as part of a four-year partnership announced in 2024.
For Shakira, the booking adds another chapter to her long association with World Cup music. The Colombian singer remains one of the artists most closely tied to the tournament’s global pop culture history. Madonna brings her own history with major sports entertainment, including a past Super Bowl halftime appearance, while BTS adds one of the largest global fan bases in contemporary music.
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest edition in tournament history, with 48 teams and 104 matches. It begins June 11 and runs through the July 19 final.
