FIFA confirms global superstars for historic World Cup final halftime spectacle
Coldplay’s Chris Martin curates the performance at MetLife Stadium, marking a significant shift in the tournament’s entertainment strategy ahead of the expanded 48-team competition.
Organisers have confirmed that Madonna, Shakira and the K-pop group BTS will headline the first halftime show in the history of the FIFA World Cup final. The performance is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the tournament concludes.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin has been appointed to curate the event, which FIFA president Gianni Infantino described as a "historic moment" befitting the world’s largest sporting competition. The announcement marks the realisation of plans Infantino first outlined in March last year, when he confirmed the introduction of a halftime show to the final match.
The 48-team tournament is set to begin on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. This expanded edition represents the largest World Cup in history, with global attention now shifting to the entertainment programming surrounding the final weekend.
Infantino stated that FIFA also intends to take over New York’s Times Square during the final weekend of the tournament. The decision to incorporate a major musical spectacle into the final mirrors the approach taken during the Copa America final last year, where Shakira performed at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
While the lineup and curator have been identified, specific details regarding the duration of the halftime break and the content of the performance have not been disclosed. Infantino did not specify the length of the show when he first announced the initiative, leaving the operational details of the event to be determined closer to the date.
