NEW YORK, May 14 — BTS, Madonna and Shakira are set to perform at the halftime show of the 2026 Fifa World Cup final, in a first-of-its-kind spectacle announced by Global Citizen on Thursday.
According to Billboard, the announcement was made alongside a social media video featuring Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Sesame Street characters Elmo and Cookie Monster, as well as several Muppets, with the group even appearing to place a video call to BTS during the clip.
The halftime performance will take place during the final on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, marking the first time a World Cup final will feature a structured halftime show, with reports indicating it is expected to run for about 11 minutes.
The announcement comes as Shakira’s involvement had already been widely speculated following her release of Dai Dai with Burna Boy, an official song tied to the 2026 tournament.
The Colombian singer previously contributed the global hit Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Madonna is also preparing for a busy July, with her upcoming album Confessions II scheduled for release on July 3.
The project includes singles such as Bring Your Love, a duet with Sabrina Carpenter, and I Feel So Free.
Meanwhile, BTS returned to music earlier this year with their sixth studio album ARIRANG, released on March 20 following their hiatus for military service.
The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and remained there for three consecutive weeks, marking a milestone for the group.
The World Cup final halftime show is being curated by Global Citizen together with Chris Martin, with proceeds supporting the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund aimed at expanding access to education and football for children worldwide.
Fifa has also confirmed a separate lineup of performers for the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony, including Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, LISA and Anitta across host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
This will be the first time the World Cup final features a dedicated halftime entertainment segment, though Madonna previously headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012, while Shakira co-headlined the 2020 edition with Jennifer Lopez.
