3 min readMay 14, 2026 12:32 PM IST
The first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show will feature artists like Shakira, Madonna and BTS, the global governing body of football announced on Thursday morning. The half-time show is a concept usually used in the National Football League’s Super Bowl and is popular in the USA. Since the FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by the US along with Canada and Mexico, the World Cup final will have a halftime show.
The FIFA World Cup final will be played on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. At the last FIFA World Cup, which was hosted by Qatar, over 500 million viewers tuned in to watch the final between Argentina and France.
The FIFA World Cup will kick off on June 11 with Mexico taking on South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The event has run into plenty of controversy as costs have spiralled for fans travelling to the venues.
A report from The Associated Press also noted how room bookings have been lighter than expected in most of the 11 U.S. cities hosting the world’s most watched sporting event, according to an April survey by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Popstar Madonna previously headlined the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2012 while Latin American star Shakira shared the Super Bowl stage with Jennifer Lopez in 2020.
FIFA made the announcement of the half-time performers by using another musical talent: Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay. Martin shared the lineup of stars in a video on social media where he featured alongside characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets.
Shakira gave the famous hit song Waka Waka during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and then performed in the opening ceremony of the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Shakira recently released the current FIFA World Cup’s official song, “Dai Dai”. The Dai Dai anthem also features Afrobeats star Burna Boy.
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Reports suggest that Madonna is releasing a new album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II,” in July. Meanwhile, BTS has reunited as a full band only in March this year after a gap of nearly four years since all seven members had to complete mandatory service in the South Korean military.
(With inputs from AP)
