Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Shakira Ignite First-Ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show
The inaugural FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show took place on Sunday, featuring performances by Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Shakira. The event, held at the New York-New Jersey stadium, showcased an 11-minute mega-mix that included Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel from the New York Philharmonic, and The Muppets.
A Dazzling Opening
Madonna opened the show with a dramatic entrance, racing through the stadium tunnels in a dune buggy driven by Brazilian soccer legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. She performed a revamped version of her 2000 hit “Music,” incorporating elements from “Disco Inferno” and “Danceteria.” Following her performance, she handed the spotlight to Gustavo Dudamel, who led musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón BolÃvar Symphony Orchestra in a rendition of “Seven Nation Army,” featuring Iranian violinist Bijan Mortazavi and The Muppets’ Electric Mayhem.
K-Pop Takes the Stage
K-pop sensation BTS delivered a football-themed rendition of their hit “Dynamite,” enhanced by a video introduction featuring Norway’s rowing chant and modified lyrics for the halftime show. Actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt made a surprise appearance as their characters from the Apple TV series “Ted Lasso,” encouraging Justin Bieber as he prepared to take the stage.
A Soulful Transition
Justin Bieber followed with a heartfelt performance of his 2025 song “Everything Hallelujah,” before handing the stage over to Shakira and Burna Boy. They energized the crowd with the official FIFA World Cup song “Dai Dai,” accompanied by Uganda’s Ghetto Kids, who danced in vibrant yellow costumes. Meanwhile, a group of schoolchildren from Staten Island’s PS22 prepared for the grand finale.
A Colorful Finale
The PS22 students joined Coldplay, additional Muppets, and Australian singer-songwriter Emmanuel Kelly, who premiered “We Dance,” an original song created by Coldplay for the halftime show. The pitch, covered by a rainbow-colored tarp to protect the grass, was filled with dancers holding colorful balls, while fans waved flags in a display of unity.
The halftime programming was curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay and produced by Global Citizen, which aims to raise $100 million for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Each ticket sold during the World Cup contributed $1 to this initiative.
A Star-Studded Audience
The 80,000-capacity stadium was filled to near capacity, with a sea of red, white, and blue as Spain faced Argentina in the final match. Notable attendees included President Trump, along with celebrities such as Pharrell, Matt Damon, Adrien Brody, and Will Ferrell. While Shakira and Bieber received enthusiastic cheers, the excitement of the match itself captivated the audience throughout the event.
Notable Performances and Preparations
This performance marked Bieber’s first public appearance since his much-discussed headlining set at Coachella in April. It coincided with Madonna’s latest dance-pop album, Confessions II, and BTS’s return to touring after a three-year hiatus for military service. BTS arrived in New York after performing at Paris’s Stade de France the previous night.
Live Nation and Done + Dusted produced the show. Executive producer Guy Carrington stated that the team had spent extensive time preparing for the event, aiming to create a diverse show while adhering to a strict schedule to avoid interfering with the match. The halftime performance commenced promptly at 4:01 PM ET, just minutes after players exited the pitch.
Post Malone headlined the pre-show, performing a new track titled “Crome Heartbreaker,” along with his hits “Wow” and “Sunflower,” the latter featuring Swae Lee.
Additional Highlights
iShowSpeed also made an appearance, dancing across a backdrop of the Empire State Building and reminding the crowd, “This is the World Cup.” Special measures were taken to protect the grass field, including a larger covering of the New York City skyline and the activation of sprinklers post-performance.
Before the match, Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini joined Robbie Williams to perform “Desire,” the official FIFA anthem, while Jennifer Hudson sang the U.S. national anthem. Williams escorted Scherzinger and Pausini off the pitch, hand in hand, prior to the national anthems of Spain and Argentina.
Tom Cruise addressed the crowd, emphasizing the universal language of football, as chants of “Olé, Olé, Olé” resonated throughout the stadium.
As reported by www.hollywoodreporter.com.
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Published on 2026-07-20 00:35:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk