The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is getting a Super Bowl-sized overhaul. FIFA and Global Citizen have announced that Madonna, Shakira and BTS will co-headline the tournament’s first-ever halftime show, set for 19 July at MetLife Stadium during the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
The 11-minute performance, curated by Chris Martin, marks FIFA’s clearest attempt yet to turn football’s biggest night into a global entertainment spectacle on the scale of the Super Bowl.
Produced by Global Citizen alongside Live Nation and Done + Dusted, the show will also serve as a centerpiece for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million for children’s education and access to football programs worldwide. FIFA said more than $30 million has already been raised, with $1 from every ticket sold for World Cup 2026 matches contributing to social impact initiatives tied to the fund.
In a statement announcing the lineup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the event as “a celebration of football, unity and shared humanity,” while Global Citizen co-founder Hugh Evans framed the halftime show as an opportunity to turn “a defining cultural moment into enormous impact.”
For Shakira, the performance carries added symbolism. The singer, long associated with the World Cup through anthems like “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” will also perform “Dai Dai,” her newly created song for the 2026 tournament. “I’ve spent my life doing two things — making songs and building schools. At the FIFA World Cup, those two paths come together,” she said in a statement tied to the announcement.
Madonna called the event “deeply meaningful,” citing the importance of education access for children worldwide “because education expands possibilities and creates lasting change,” while BTS described music as “the universal language of hope and harmony.”
The halftime show will also feature appearances from Sesame Street characters and The Muppets, reinforcing the education-focused messaging behind the initiative.
The announcement arrives as FIFA continues expanding the entertainment footprint of the World Cup. Alongside the halftime spectacle, performers including LISA, Rema, Tyla, Katy Perry and Future are also expected to appear across the tournament’s opening festivities.
What do you think of FIFA’s first-ever halftime show lineup — and who’s stealing the spotlight: Madonna, Shakira or BTS?
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