FIFA has turned to some of the world’s biggest music stars for what it hopes will be a defining moment at the 2026 World Cup.
Shakira, Madonna and South Korean pop group BTS will headline the tournament’s first-ever halftime show during the World Cup final this coming July, FIFA announced on Thursday.
The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium, where tens of thousands of fans are expected to gather for football’s biggest night. Millions more are likely to watch across the globe.
The expanded 2026 tournament will open on June 11 in Mexico City, with matches hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA said the halftime show would be curated by Chris Martin, the frontman of Coldplay, and produced in partnership with Global Citizen. Organisers said the performance would support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aimed at expanding access to education and football programmes for children worldwide.
According to FIFA, one dollar from every World Cup match ticket sold will go towards the fund.
“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said when he first hinted at the plan last year.
The announcement signals FIFA’s growing effort to blend football with the kind of entertainment spectacle more commonly associated with the Super Bowl. Yet questions remain over how the performance will fit within football’s traditional structure.
Under the laws of the game set by the International Football Association Board, halftime intervals are generally capped at 15 minutes. FIFA has not yet explained whether the rules will be adjusted for the show.
The halftime announcement follows another entertainment reveal made by FIFA last week. Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin is expected to lead the opening ceremony in Mexico City alongside performers including Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná and Tyla.
For FIFA, the message is clear: the 2026 World Cup is being designed not only as a football tournament, but as a global entertainment event on an unprecedented scale.
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