Updated July 19, 2026, 7:01 p.m. ET
For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, futbol took a cue from football and sandwiched a star-studded show between its two halves of play.
Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS represented the cultural diversity of the World Cup, which began June 11 and culminated with its 104th match at the July 19 final between defending champion Argentina and Spain.
The 11-minute halftime show at New York New Jersey Stadium (aka MetLife Stadium) was an exercise in collaboration.
Performing atop a rainbow-colored banner covering the field, echoes of Madonna’s “Music” filled the screen before unveiling the Queen of Pop in her now-signature pink as she rode in a car packed with vivacious dancers hanging off the sides in a pretaped intro.
Then, sunlight hit the screen as she strode onto the field singing the refrain of “music, makes the people come together,” flanked by soccer icons Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Ronaldo Nazário. Her brief appearance signaled exactly what many suspected would be the major flaw in this conglomeration of worldwide music stars: Too many people, too little time.
The quick-paced spectacle jumped to The Muppets, handling the groove of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” as Gustavo Dudamel conducted the group of felt-covered favorites surrounded by an orchestra that parted to unveil BTS dropping their sprightly “Dynamite.” The group had a few seconds to break out their gripping choreography along with dozens of other dancers as they slid across the field floor. But, again, there is only so much even a group of seasoned pros like these guys could produce in their two minutes of performance time.
As if this gathering needed more people, Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt strolled the sidelines as their “Ted Lasso” characters (Lasso and Coach Beard, respectively) as the segue to introduce Bieber. In a longer show with fewer artists, their appearance would have been a cute tie-in to this celebration of soccer. But were they really necessary?
Toting his acoustic guitar and donning a headset, Bieber changed the tempo of the production with live singing – go figure! – for his comparatively sedate “Everything Hallelujah” with tweaked lyrics to complement the World Cup. While the non-prerecorded vocals were appreciated, his ballad felt oddly shoehorned into what was otherwise a vigorous, energetic halftime.
Of course, no World Cup performance would be complete without the captivating presence of Shakira. In a skin-baring outfit of yellow and pink halter and skirt, the Colombian superstar grinned and danced with Burna Boy with a hip-gyrating, rhythm-heavy performance of, naturally, “Dai Dai,” the official song of the World Cup that has been breaking chart records since its release in May.
Along with the marquee headliners, a barely noticeable Chris Martin of Coldplay, who aided Global Citizen in producing the show, bounced along with the adorable New York City-based PS22 Chorus, who sang a song of unity – “We Dance” – as the camera zoomed out to show the “Love” insignia on the banner stretching the field.
To produce the event, which required a seven-minute setup, FIFA extended halftime to nearly 30 minutes from the usual 15, a move that angered some soccer purists and was altered only with the referee’s permission as per the rules of the International Football Association Board.
Who performed at World Cup final halftime show?
All of the megastars participating in the halftime show are currently making headlines.
Madonna just released her anticipated “Confessions II” album, while BTS is in the midst of a massive world stadium tour.
Shakira has been a World Cup ambassador since the mid-2000s and also sang the 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka” when the tournament was held in South Africa.
Bieber and wife Hailey, meanwhile, just dropped $12 million for a condo. According to The Wall Street Journal, the couple has purchased the luxe property formerly owned by real-estate developer Steven Brauser in Manhattan’s West Village.
The World Cup finale is supporting the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund initiative working to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and football for children worldwide. So far, more than $50 million has been raised from $1 from every ticket sold to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches being donated to the organization.
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