New Delhi: Madonna, Shakira, and BTS will headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show, Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin announced in a social media post Thursday. The finale will be held on 19 July at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.
In the three-minute video, Martin appeared alongside Elmo and Cookie Monster from Sesame Street. He even got on a video call with BTS and invited the Korean boy band to perform. Characters from The Muppets, including Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, later joined in to reveal that Madonna and Shakira would also be taking the stage. Martin shared that the money raised from the event will be donated toward children’s education initiatives.
FIFA World Cup goes big
Shakira has previously performed at the FIFA World Cup with her iconic track ‘Waka Waka’ (This Time for Africa), recorded for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. This year, she is set to perform her recently released song ‘Dai Dai’ featuring Burna Boy, which serves as the tournament’s official anthem.
Madonna, who famously headlined the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2012, posted on X about the upcoming World Cup.
“Throughout the tournament, USD 1 from every ticket sold to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be donated to the Fund,” she wrote.
BTS made a comeback in March after members completed their mandatory military service in South Korea. Their sixth studio album ARIRANG remained on the Billboard 200 for three weeks.
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The first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show is being curated by Chris Martin in collaboration with Global Citizen, with the aim of raising $100 million for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
Artists such as Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, Lisa, and Anitta are also expected to perform during the show, with Katy Perry set to headline the opening ceremony in Los Angeles.
Hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be the biggest edition of the tournament so far. With global artists joining the event, the halftime show is likely to attract not just football fans but also a massive fanbase of the performing artists.
An official broadcaster for the tournament in India has yet to be announced.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)