The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will feature a Super Bowl-style half-time show for the first time in the tournament’s history, with Madonna, Shakira and K-pop group BTS set to headline the event at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 19 July.
FIFA confirmed the plans on Thursday, describing the performance as a landmark moment for the competition, which will conclude the biggest World Cup ever staged. The expanded tournament, featuring 48 national teams, begins on 11 June across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The show is being curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and marks a major shift in how FIFA presents the World Cup final. While entertainment performances have accompanied previous tournaments, a dedicated half-time concert similar to those seen at the Super Bowl has never before been included during the final itself.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had first revealed the idea in March last year, announcing that there would be “the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final”.
At the time, he did not disclose the performers involved or indicate how long the interval would last. Questions remain over whether the entertainment spectacle will extend the traditional 15-minute half-time break.
“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world,” he said on Instagram.
The decision follows similar entertainment efforts at other football tournaments. During the 2024 Copa America final in Miami, Colombian singer Shakira performed at half-time at the Hard Rock Stadium. FIFA also staged a half-time show at last year’s Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, where the interval reportedly lasted longer than the regulation break.
Infantino also announced that FIFA intends to “take over” New York’s Times Square during the final weekend of the tournament, signalling plans for large-scale celebrations around the championship match.
According to FIFA, the half-time performance will support the organisation’s Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise 100 million dollars for children around the world during the World Cup.
Shakira has also been building anticipation for the tournament through music tied to the competition. Last week, the Colombian star teased a new official World Cup song titled “Dai Dai”.
In a short promotional video released on Instagram, Shakira appeared at Brazil’s Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro holding the “Trionda”, the official match ball for the 2026 tournament. She performed excerpts from the song in English while surrounded by dancers wearing the colours of several national teams, including the United States and Colombia.
The clip concluded with the message: “We’re ready!”
The song was produced alongside Nigerian artist Burna Boy and is due for official release on Thursday. The video was also shared on FIFA’s official World Cup account.
Shakira has longstanding links with the tournament, having previously performed at the 2006 and 2014 World Cup finals. She also recorded “Waka Waka”, the official anthem for the 2010 World Cup, which became one of the most recognisable songs associated with the competition.
The introduction of a major half-time entertainment show reflects FIFA’s increasing focus on blending sport and global pop culture as it prepares for what is expected to be the most commercially successful World Cup in history.
