For nearly a century, halftime at a World Cup final meant quiet tactical adjustments, tunnel replays and broadcast analysis. During Sunday’s showpiece between Spain and Argentina, FIFA launched its Super Bowl-style era with the first dedicated halftime show in World Cup history.
Produced by Global Citizen in partnership with Live Nation, the 11-minute production brought together pop royalty, classical musicians and children’s television icons, running in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
The running order
1. Madonna
The Queen of Pop, Madonna, opened the show, bringing decades of large-scale stagecraft to the pitch. It marked her first halftime-style performance since headlining the 2012 Super Bowl.
2. BTS
The K-pop group followed, delivering their biggest live performance since completing South Korea’s mandatory military service. The seven members performed together at a World Cup for the first time.
3. Justin Bieber
Bieber, added as a co-headliner weeks after Madonna, Shakira and BTS were first announced, took the stage next for a high-energy pop segment.
4. Shakira & Burna Boy
Shakira closed out the headline segment alongside Burna Boy, performing “Dai Dai”, the official anthem of the 2026 tournament. They were joined on the pitch by Uganda’s Ghetto Kids dance troupe, personally invited by Shakira after the group featured in the song’s promotion.
Supporting the headliners
| Act | Contribution |
| Gustavo Dudamel | Conducted musicians from the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra |
| Chris Martin, Coldplay & PS22 Chorus | Chris Martin curated the entire production and closed with the Staten Island elementary school choir |
| Kermit, Miss Piggy & Sesame Street characters | Muppets and Sesame Street favourites appeared pitch-side, tying the show to its education-fund mission |
The show ran during a halftime interval that football’s laws cap at 15 minutes, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino having billed it in the build-up as a moment to sit alongside the sport itself. FIFA and Global Citizen say the fund is targeting $100 million to expand access to education and football for children worldwide, with $1 from every World Cup 2026 ticket sold already contributing to the total.