Madonna, Shakira, and BTS to headline the first FIFA World Cup final halftime show.

Vanessa Obioha

FIFA has announced the performers for the first halftime show at a World Cup final, signalling a deeper integration of music into the 2026 tournament. The lineup will feature Madonna, Shakira and BTS, combining pop, Latin and K‑pop styles to mirror the global diversity of football fans.

Each artist is a major international star with extensive catalogues and fan bases that span generations and continents. Madonna is widely regarded as one of pop music’s most influential figures, Shakira has a long history with the sport—most notably her 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka”—and BTS continues to showcase the expanding reach of Korean pop music.

Music has always played a role in sports, though most football events limit performances to opening or closing ceremonies. That trend is shifting. In 2025, FIFA and Global Citizen staged a trial halftime show at MetLife Stadium during the FIFA Club World Cup final, featuring American rapper Doja Cat, Nigerian singer Tems and Colombian star J Balvin. The performers appeared from a stage integrated into the stadium stands.

Halftime shows are a hallmark of the American Super Bowl, turning the NFL championship into a combined sporting and cultural event. Over the years, the stage has hosted icons such as the late Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Dr. Dre, and the performances have become major advertising and cultural moments that attract audiences beyond football fans.

FIFA appears to be adopting a similar model to broaden the World Cup’s cultural appeal. The final, scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, is expected to attract hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide, following the more than 500 million live audience that tuned in to the 2022 World Cup final.

Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, selected the artists and revealed the lineup in a social‑media video that included characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets.

If the halftime format proves successful and becomes a regular feature, Nigerian musicians could gain further exposure as Afrobeats continues to grow globally. Tems’ appearance in last year’s Club World Cup halftime show already highlighted the rising influence of Nigerian music on the international stage.