Shakira, Madonna & BTS to Headline World Cup Final Half-Time Show

Shakira, Madonna & BTS to headline 2026 World Cup final half-time show

The half-time performance will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, aiming to raise $100 million for children.

“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event...”

Madonna, Shakira, and K-pop group BTS will headline a Super Bowl-style half-time performance at the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA confirmed on Thursday.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin is curating the show, marking a first for a men’s World Cup final. The plan has sparked questions over how much longer half-time will run.

The expanded 48-team tournament, the largest World Cup yet, starts June 11 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in March last year that there would be “the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final.”

He didn’t specify the performers or the show’s length at the time.

“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world,” he posted on Instagram.

FIFA’s plan follows a similar format to the 2024 Copa América final in Miami, where Shakira performed at half-time inside Hard Rock Stadium.

Last year’s Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium also featured a half-time show that pushed the break beyond the standard 15 minutes.

Infantino said FIFA intends to “take over” New York’s Times Square during the final weekend of the tournament.

The world's biggest stage. An even bigger purpose. On July 19, the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final Halftime Show is coming to New York New Jersey Stadium, featuring superstars @Madonna , @shakira , and @bts_bighit , curated by @coldplay ‘s Chris Martin!

A FIFA World Cup first, the… pic.twitter.com/OblQmXTW1M

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 14, 2026

 

The half-time show will raise funds for FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to collect $100 million for children’s education projects during the World Cup.

Shakira teased the tournament’s official song last week, sharing a short video filmed at Rio’s Maracanã Stadium.

The singer, behind the 2010 anthem “Waka Waka,” announced the track, titled “Dai Dai,” in an Instagram post.

In the 67-second clip, Shakira appears on the Maracanã pitch in Rio de Janeiro, the same stadium where she held a free Copacabana Beach concert for two million fans.

She holds the “Trionda,” the official 2026 World Cup ball, and sings snippets of the track in English alongside dancers wearing U.S., Colombia, and other team colors.

Produced with Nigerian artist Burna Boy, the song drops officially on Thursday. The video, also posted by the FIFA World Cup account, closes with the line: “We’re ready!”

From Maracaná Stadium, here is “Dai Dai,” the @FIFAWorldCup Official Song 2026. Coming 5/14. We’re ready! ⚽️🐺 @burnaboy pic.twitter.com/UcfpO0s7jN

— Shakira (@shakira) May 7, 2026

Shakira’s World Cup history runs deep. She performed at the 2006 and 2014 finals and created “Waka Waka” for the 2010 tournament.