Football is borrowing the Super Bowl playbook for a star-packed first at the 2026 final.
The 2026 World Cup final will feature something no World Cup has ever staged before: a full Super Bowl-style halftime show. On July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium, the temporarily renamed MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber will co-headline the first ever halftime performance at a men’s World Cup final. FIFA expects a couple of billion people to tune in, which could make it one of the most-watched music broadcasts in history.
The 11-minute spectacle is curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and produced by Global Citizen in partnership with Live Nation. It marks a clear move by football to adopt the halftime formula that has made the Super Bowl a global entertainment event, bringing the sport’s biggest match together with some of the world’s biggest musical names.
The four co-headliners each bring global star power. Madonna, Shakira, and BTS were announced first, with Justin Bieber added later to complete the lineup. For Shakira, it is familiar territory. The Colombian singer was the voice of the 2010 World Cup with Waka Waka, recorded a theme for 2014, and performed Hips Don’t Lie at the 2006 closing ceremony. This year she returned with Dai Dai, the official 2026 World Cup song featuring Burna Boy.
The supporting lineup is just as notable. Burna Boy, who performed Dai Dai with Shakira at the opening ceremony in Mexico City, will appear during the show, representing Africa on the stage. Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel will perform, along with the PS22 Chorus, a viral elementary school choir from Staten Island, New York, appearing alongside Coldplay. Characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets will also feature, tying into the show’s education theme.
According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the performance is designed to convey a message of unity and hope to billions of people worldwide. Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans described it as the single largest gathering of artists united for a cause since Live Aid.
World Cup halftime show and the Super Bowl format
The halftime show represents a shift for football. For decades, the World Cup final has gone straight from the first half to the second with no entertainment beyond the pre-match ceremony. The Super Bowl, by contrast, has built its halftime show into a cultural event that often draws as many viewers as the game itself.
FIFA unveiled its plan in May 2026 with a video starring Elmo and Chris Martin, in which the Coldplay frontman is tasked with finding stars to perform. The playful rollout mirrored the way the Super Bowl builds anticipation around its own lineup announcements. Martin said the show would be all about togetherness, with everyone invited.
The change has raised one practical question. The laws of football allow a halftime interval not exceeding 15 minutes, and an 11-minute performance plus the time to set up and take down the stage could require that break to be extended. FIFA has not confirmed exactly how it will manage the timing, but the kickoff is set for 3 p.m. Eastern, placing the show at roughly a quarter to four.
It is important to note that the performance is tied to a cause. It supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aiming to raise 100 million dollars to expand access to education and football for children worldwide. More than 50 million dollars has already been raised, with one dollar from every World Cup ticket sold donated to the fund.
The show also reflects the scale of the 2026 tournament, the first men’s World Cup hosted by three countries, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and the largest in history with 48 teams. FIFA staged three separate opening ceremonies across the host nations to mark it, and the halftime show is intended as the crowning entertainment moment.
The halftime show adds a new element to the World Cup final. It follows the Super Bowl format, supports the education fund, and places four co-headliners on the same stage for the first time. The performance takes place on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium, midway through the final.
