Shakira, Madonna, BTS Headline First World Cup Halftime Show
FIFA has announced that Shakira, Madonna, and BTS will headline the first-ever World Cup final halftime show, scheduled for July 19th at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The event will be produced by Global Citizen and benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to expand educational and football access for children worldwide. Furthermore, FIFA confirmed that $1 from every ticket sold for the World Cup 2026 matches will be donated to this fund. The tournament itself begins on June 11th, with matches spread across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
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Shakira, Madonna, and K-pop group BTS are set to headline the inaugural World Cup final halftime show, according to an announcement from FIFA. The highly anticipated event is scheduled for July 19th at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Event Details and Purpose
The halftime performance will be curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin and produced by the non-profit organization, Global Citizen. The primary beneficiary of the event is the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
Goal: To raise funds for expanding access to quality education and football for children globally.
Fund Target: The fund aims to raise $100 million USD.
Ticket Donation: FIFA announced that $1 from every ticket sold for the World Cup 2026™ matches will be donated to the Fund.
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World Cup 2026 Overview
World Cup 2026 is scheduled to kick off on June 11th in Mexico City. The tournament will feature matches played across multiple locations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Context and Related Events
FIFA President's Tease: FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously teased an inaugural performance at a World Cup event, describing it as a "historic moment."
Opening Ceremony: Separately, FIFA announced that reggaeton superstar J Balvin will headline the World Cup's opening ceremony in Mexico City. This ceremony is also slated to feature Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and Tyla.
Rules Consideration: The official rules of soccer, set by the International Football Association Board, stipulate that halftime breaks should not exceed 15 minutes; it remains unclear if these rules will be altered for such a large-scale performance.
