NEW YORK, USA: For the first time in football history, the World Cup final will pause not just for a breather, but for a spectacle. FIFA announced Thursday that global superstars Shakira, Madonna, and K-pop megastars BTS will headline a Super Bowl-style half-time show at the championship match on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The world’s biggest stage. An even bigger purpose. On July 19, the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final Halftime Show is coming to New York New Jersey Stadium, featuring superstars @Madonna , @shakira , and @bts_bighit , curated by @coldplay ‘s Chris Martin!
A FIFA World Cup first, the… pic.twitter.com/OblQmXTW1M
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 14, 2026
Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin is curating the groundbreaking performance, which marks an unprecedented departure from traditional World Cup final proceedings. However, the announcement has already raised questions about how long the half-time interval will extend beyond the regulation 15 minutes.
A first for football’s biggest stage
FIFA president Gianni Infantino first teased the idea in March last year, promising “the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final” without revealing performers or duration. On Thursday, he took to Instagram to confirm the historic lineup.
“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world,” Infantino said.
📢📢📢 FIFA and Global Citizen today announced that Madonna, Shakira and BTS will co-headline the historic FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final Halftime Show, taking place on Sunday, 19 July at New York New Jersey Stadium. The performance will be curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay and… pic.twitter.com/zXhYuBwYym
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) May 14, 2026
The move mirrors recent experiments in other tournaments. Colombian superstar Shakira performed during the half-time show at the 2024 Copa America final in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
Similarly, last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final, also held at MetLife Stadium, featured a half-time show that stretched well beyond the standard 15-minute break.
More than entertainment: A global cause
The half-time extravaganza will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aimed at raising $100 million for children worldwide during the World Cup. Infantino added that FIFA also plans to “take over” New York’s Times Square on the final weekend of the tournament.
From Maracaná Stadium, here is “Dai Dai,” the @FIFAWorldCup Official Song 2026. Coming 5/14. We’re ready! ⚽️🐺 @burnaboy pic.twitter.com/UcfpO0s7jN
— Shakira (@shakira) May 7, 2026
Shakira teases new official anthem
Adding to the excitement, Shakira last week teased the official song for the 2026 World Cup. In a brief video filmed at Brazil’s iconic Maracana Stadium, she unveiled a track titled Dai Dai.
The 67-second clip shows Shakira on the Maracana pitch, where she previously performed a free concert at Copacabana Beach before an audience of 2 million people. Holding the Trionda, the official match ball of the 2026 World Cup, she performs excerpts of the song in English, joined by dancers wearing colors of teams including the US and Colombia.
The song, produced with Nigerian artist Burna Boy, is set for official release on Thursday. The clip, also shared by the Fifa World Cup account, ends with the message: “We’re ready!”
A longstanding love affair with football
Shakira has a deep association with the World Cup. She performed at the 2006 and 2014 finals and created the iconic 2010 anthem Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), which became one of the most memorable World Cup songs in history.
What lies ahead
The biggest-ever World Cup, featuring 48 teams, kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With the final now promising both high-stakes football and a global pop extravaganza, all eyes will be on how FIFA balances entertainment with the sport’s traditions, and exactly how long fans will wait before the second half begins.
