Shakira, Madonna and BTS to headline FIFA World Cup 2026 final halftime show

• Shakira, Madonna and BTS to headline 2026 World Cup final halftime show.

• Event to raise funds and merge football with global entertainment.

• Part of FIFA’s wider entertainment programme across host nations.

FIFA has officially announced that global music stars Shakira, Madonna and BTS will headline the first-ever halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

The historic entertainment event is scheduled to take place during the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, marking a major shift in FIFA’s efforts to combine football with large-scale global entertainment.

The groundbreaking halftime concert will be curated by Chris Martin and is expected to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aimed at improving access to education and football training for disadvantaged children worldwide.

The announcement was made through a special social media broadcast featuring characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.

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FIFA hopes the halftime show will attract a record global audience and elevate the entertainment value of the expanded 48-team tournament.

Shakira’s inclusion comes shortly after the release of the official tournament song, “Dai Dai", featuring Nigerian superstar Burna Boy.

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Madonna is also expected to perform ahead of the launch of her upcoming studio album, Confessions II, while BTS continue their highly anticipated comeback after completing military service and releasing their sixth studio album, Arirang.

The combination of Latin pop, American pop culture and K-pop is expected to make the halftime show one of the biggest musical events in football history.

FIFA has also planned an extensive entertainment schedule across the three host countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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The tournament opener at SoFi Stadium on June 12 will reportedly feature performances from Katy Perry and Future.

Additional opening celebrations are also expected in Toronto and Mexico City, with performances from Michael Bublé and J Balvin.