World Cup Final halftime show features Madonna, BTS, Shakira, Justin Bieber

FIFA's first-ever World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, 2026, featured Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber alongside other global artists in an 11-minute performance supporting education initiatives.

Objective Facts

FIFA and Global Citizen announced that Justin Bieber joined Madonna, Shakira, and BTS as co-headliners for the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium. The performance also included Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus, and was designed to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund in its mission to expand access to education and football for children globally. FIFA successfully pulled off the logistical feat of its first-ever World Cup final halftime show, featuring many of the biggest names in music. Despite early reports that the halftime extravaganza would be allowed to exceed the standard 11 minutes, the show came in at just a few seconds over that mark, meaning none of the superstars received more than about two minutes on the field. South Korean media highlighted BTS's remarks that the group was "happy to take part in a meaningful show" and "honored to perform at the first-ever halftime show at a World Cup final."

Deep Dive

FIFA President Gianni Infantino framed the halftime show as a "groundbreaking spectacle" celebrating "football, music and our shared values," curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay to celebrate "football, music and our shared values." Over USD 50 million had been raised for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund before the final, with USD 1 from every ticket for World Cup matches donated to the fund supporting social projects around the world. The show represented a historic first in World Cup tradition, importing the Super Bowl-style halftime entertainment model to soccer's most prestigious event. Billboard described it as turning "the most sacred match in the sport into an 11-and-a-half-minute pop fever dream." The lineup signaled a feel-good, family-friendly procession of fan favorites, with broadly inspiring messaging around togetherness, unity, and love. Reactions to the show were mixed: former English soccer star Wayne Rooney said on the BBC broadcast that he thought it was "crap," while others criticized its 27-minute length, though most seemed to think it was well done and didn't drag on too long. Many compared it favorably to the Super Bowl halftime show from Bad Bunny, saying it had more energy and was intelligible. Given the show's success, it appears likely to become part of World Cup Final tradition. South Korean band member Suga wore a jersey featuring the Red Devils emblem, the official supporting group for the South Korean national football team, while Jimin and J-Hope sported outfits bearing the number seven. BTS member Jungkook became the first Asian and Korean artist to perform at multiple FIFA World Cup ceremonies, joining Shakira among select artists who have appeared at more than one FIFA World Cup event. Shakira, while in the midst of a world tour, made special stops at the World Cup—first at the opening ceremony and then at the final's halftime show—and gifted concert tickets to union laborers, Venezuela earthquake relief volunteers, and Colombian restaurant owners who participated in the city's World Cup dining special.

Regional Perspective

South Korean media outlets celebrated BTS's historic participation, with the group performing at the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show, appearing as the second performer during the halftime break of the Spain-Argentina final. The Korea Times highlighted how BTS members incorporated South Korean symbolism—Suga wearing the Red Devils emblem and J-Hope and Jimin sporting outfits with the number seven—and noted the group's statement that it was "happy to take part in a meaningful show" and "honored to perform at the first-ever halftime show at a World Cup final." South Korean media emphasized the historic achievement: BTS became the first K-pop act to headline a FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, with member Jungkook becoming the first Asian and Korean artist to perform at multiple FIFA World Cup ceremonies. For South Korean audiences, the Korea Herald provided scheduling information specific to Korea time, noting the match would begin at 4 a.m. Monday with the halftime show expected around 5 a.m.

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World Cup Final halftime show features Madonna, BTS, Shakira, Justin Bieber

FIFA's first-ever World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, 2026, featured Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber alongside other global artists in an 11-minute performance supporting education initiatives.

Jul 20, 2026
What's Going On
  • The halftime show took place on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium during the Spain-Argentina final, marking FIFA's first World Cup Final halftime spectacle.
  • Co-headliners Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber performed alongside Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the New York Philharmonic, and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay.
  • The show was produced to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, aiming to raise USD 100 million to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children worldwide.
  • The entire performance lasted just over 11 minutes, with each superstar receiving roughly two minutes on stage.
  • The extended halftime interval lasted 27 minutes, 20 seconds in total between the first and second halves.
  • South Korean outlets reported that BTS said it was "happy to take part in a meaningful show" and "honored to perform at the first-ever halftime show at a World Cup final."
Region says: South Korean media emphasized BTS's historic role in FIFA's first World Cup Final halftime show, organized in partnership with Global Citizen and curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin. The Korea Herald noted the performance timing for Korean viewers, with kickoff at 4 a.m. Korea time and BTS expected to perform during halftime at around 5 a.m.
Objective Deep Dive

FIFA President Gianni Infantino framed the halftime show as a "groundbreaking spectacle" celebrating "football, music and our shared values," curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay to celebrate "football, music and our shared values." Over USD 50 million had been raised for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund before the final, with USD 1 from every ticket for World Cup matches donated to the fund supporting social projects around the world. The show represented a historic first in World Cup tradition, importing the Super Bowl-style halftime entertainment model to soccer's most prestigious event. Billboard described it as turning "the most sacred match in the sport into an 11-and-a-half-minute pop fever dream." The lineup signaled a feel-good, family-friendly procession of fan favorites, with broadly inspiring messaging around togetherness, unity, and love.

Reactions to the show were mixed: former English soccer star Wayne Rooney said on the BBC broadcast that he thought it was "crap," while others criticized its 27-minute length, though most seemed to think it was well done and didn't drag on too long. Many compared it favorably to the Super Bowl halftime show from Bad Bunny, saying it had more energy and was intelligible. Given the show's success, it appears likely to become part of World Cup Final tradition.

South Korean band member Suga wore a jersey featuring the Red Devils emblem, the official supporting group for the South Korean national football team, while Jimin and J-Hope sported outfits bearing the number seven. BTS member Jungkook became the first Asian and Korean artist to perform at multiple FIFA World Cup ceremonies, joining Shakira among select artists who have appeared at more than one FIFA World Cup event. Shakira, while in the midst of a world tour, made special stops at the World Cup—first at the opening ceremony and then at the final's halftime show—and gifted concert tickets to union laborers, Venezuela earthquake relief volunteers, and Colombian restaurant owners who participated in the city's World Cup dining special.