First-ever World Cup Final halftime show, to be lit up by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS

Staff Reporter: PNN

For the first time in the history of the Football World Cup, a grand “halftime show” inspired by the Super Bowl will be staged. In the 2026 World Cup final, global pop star Madonna, Latin music icon Shakira, and K-pop supergroup BTS will perform.

The final match of the World Cup will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States. FIFA has officially announced that British band Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin will serve as the creative supervisor for this special event.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a social media post: “This will be a historic event for a sports competition as big as the World Cup.”

However, the announcement has also sparked controversy. According to football rules, the halftime break lasts 15 minutes, but many believe it may be extended due to the large-scale stage performance. Earlier, Shakira performed at the 2024 Copa America final halftime show, which exceeded the scheduled time.

FIFA has also planned special events throughout the final week of the World Cup in New York’s famous Times Square area.

Meanwhile, Shakira is also in discussion regarding the new official World Cup song. She recently shared a teaser of her new track titled “Die Die” on social media. The song features Nigerian artist Burna Boy.

The video was shot at Brazil’s historic Maracanã Stadium, where Shakira can be seen dancing and singing with the official World Cup ball. Previously, she gained worldwide fame with the 2010 World Cup hit song “Waka Waka.”

Notably, the biggest World Cup ever, featuring 48 teams, will begin on June 11. The tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.