Event
FIFA has confirmed that Madonna, Shakira and K-pop group BTS will headline a Super Bowl-style half-time show at the 2026 World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Coldplay’s Chris Martin will curate the performance, which marks the first half-time show in a football World Cup final. The event aims to support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, targeting $100 million for children worldwide. The tournament, featuring 48 teams, begins on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
2 published stories · world-cup · source reliability 50%
Coldplay’s Chris Martin to curate the performance at MetLife Stadium, marking a significant shift in the tournament’s entertainment strategy ahead of the expanded 48-team competition.
Background
FIFA has confirmed that Madonna, Shakira, and BTS will headline the first-ever half-time show at a men’s World Cup final, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Scheduled for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the performance aims to raise $100 million for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. This marks a significant shift in the tournament’s entertainment strategy for the expanded 48-team competition, which begins on 11 June across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The announcement follows precedents set by the 2024 Copa America final and the recent FIFA Club World Cup final, both of which featured extended half-time spectacles.
FIFA has confirmed that Madonna, Shakira, and BTS will headline the first-ever half-time show at a men’s World Cup final, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Scheduled for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the performance aims to raise $100 million for the FIFA Global Cit
Fact cards
Key entities: FIFA, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Chris Coldplay, MetLife Stadium, Gianni Infantino, Global Citizen Education Fund.
Who is curating the World Cup final half-time show? Coldplay’s Chris Martin is curating the performance. When and where will the half-time show take place? It will occur on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. What is significant about this half-time show? It marks the first
March (previous year): FIFA President Gianni Infantino first announced the intention to hold a half-time show at a World Cup final. 2006 and 2014: Shakira performed at the World Cup finals; she created the 2010 anthem "Waka Waka". 2024: Shakira performed at the Copa America final
Timeline
FIFA President Gianni Infantino first announced the intention to hold a half-time show at a World Cup final.
Shakira performed at the World Cup finals; she created the 2010 anthem "Waka Waka".
Shakira performed at the Copa America final in Miami; the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium featured a half-time show exceeding the standard break duration.
Shakira teased the new official World Cup song, "Dai Dai" (produced with Burna Boy), filmed at Brazil’s Maracana Stadium.
The 48-team World Cup tournament begins across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
The World Cup final takes place at MetLife Stadium, featuring the headline half-time show.
FAQ
Coldplay’s Chris Martin is curating the performance.
It will occur on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
It marks the first half-time show in FIFA World Cup history.
The tournament features 48 teams.
FIFA plans to take over New York’s Times Square.