Madonna, Shakira, BTS to headline Super Bowl-style World Cup final show

NEW JERSEY: Global music icons Madonna and Shakira, alongside K-pop supergroup BTS, will headline the first-ever Super Bowl-style halftime show at the FIFA World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, FIFA announced on Thursday.

Chris Martin of Coldplay will curate the historic performance, marking the first halftime entertainment show in the history of a FIFA World Cup final, the tournament organiser said.

"The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final halftime show will be a truly special moment, bringing together music, football and a shared commitment to improving the lives of children around the world," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on social media.

"Together, we will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund and help create greater access to quality education and football for children worldwide."

A similar half-time show was also organised at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final, which was also at MetLife Stadium, which stretched the break beyond the regulation 15 minutes.

Infantino added that the football governing body also planned to "take over" New York´s Times Square on the final weekend of the mega event.

The half-time show will support FIFA´s Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise $100 million for children worldwide during the World Cup.

Shakira, who has a long association with the World Cup, performing at the 2006 and 2014 mega events and also producing "Waka Waka" for the 2010 tournament, last week teased a new official song for the FIFA World Cup 2026. She released a brief video of the track and announced the song, titled "Dai Dai", in a post on her Instagram account.

FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The 48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four, will play a 104-match tournament across 16 cities.