WATCH: Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Madonna Perform at First-Ever World Cup Halftime Show

The history-making performance featured some of music's biggest global stars

L-R: Madonna [GC Images], Shakira [Kevin Kane/Getty], Justin Bieber [Jamie McCarthy/Getty], BTS [Kevin C. Cox/Getty]

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final delivered a landmark moment in sports and entertainment with the introduction of the tournament's first-ever halftime show, transforming the biggest match in international soccer into an event that blended football, music, and global culture on an unprecedented scale. Staged during halftime of the championship match at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the 11-minute spectacle was produced in partnership with Global Citizen and curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. The star-studded lineup featured Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and BTS as headliners, with additional appearances by Burna Boy, the PS22 Chorus, and other special guests. Beyond entertainment, the show also promoted the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative supporting access to education and youth sports programs around the world.

Madonna opened the historic performance with her dance classic "Music," making a dramatic entrance alongside Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho before taking center stage in one of the show's most memorable visuals. BTS followed with an energetic rendition of their global smash "Dynamite," bringing synchronized choreography and stadium-wide singalongs to a worldwide television audience. Justin Bieber shifted the mood with a stripped-down performance of "Everything Hallelujah," while Shakira—long synonymous with World Cup celebrations after hits such as "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)"—closed the main musical performances by joining Burna Boy for the official tournament anthem "Dai Dai." The finale united performers alongside Chris Martin and the PS22 Chorus for an uplifting celebration emphasizing unity, hope, and the global spirit of the World Cup.

The inaugural halftime show represented a significant evolution for the FIFA World Cup, adopting a Super Bowl-style entertainment format while maintaining football as the centerpiece of the final. Broadcast to one of the largest television audiences in sports, the production showcased artists spanning multiple generations and continents, reflecting the truly global nature of the tournament. While some fans debated whether such a spectacle belonged in the World Cup Final, many praised FIFA's ambition in creating a new tradition that celebrated music alongside the world's most popular sport. Regardless of differing opinions, the Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and BTS-led performance secured its place in history as the first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show, setting a new benchmark for future finals and demonstrating how football can unite cultures both on and off the pitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi_M6FnK1NE