FIFA made history on Sunday by staging the first-ever halftime show during a FIFA World Cup final, transforming the 2026 tournament decider between Argentina and Spain into a global entertainment spectacle at MetLife Stadium.
The approximately 12-minute performance, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin in partnership with Global Citizen, took place during an extended 27-minute halftime break. Produced by Live Nation and Done + Dusted and directed by Hamish Hamilton, the show combined music, football and philanthropy on the sport’s biggest stage.
The event was organised to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative seeking to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children worldwide. Before the final, the campaign had raised more than $60 million through ticket contributions, corporate backing and private donations. FIFA also announced grants for 58 organisations expected to benefit about 400,000 children globally.
The star-studded lineup featured Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Coldplay and Nigerian Grammy Award-winning singer Burna Boy. They were joined by conductor Gustavo Dudamel, musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, Iranian violinist Bijan Mortazavi, New York’s PS22 Chorus, Uganda’s Ghetto Kids, singer Emmanuel Kelly, and characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.
Madonna opened the performance with a dramatic entrance, arriving beneath the stadium in a dune buggy driven by Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho before performing her hit song Music. The performance transitioned into an orchestral rendition of Seven Nation Army conducted by Dudamel.
The halftime show also honoured Brazilian football legend Pelé, with archival footage of his farewell appearance at the former Giants Stadium in New Jersey displayed on the stadium’s giant screens.
BTS followed with a football-themed performance of Dynamite, while actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt introduced Justin Bieber, who performed a special World Cup version of Everything Hallelujah.
Shakira and Burna Boy later reunited to perform Dai Dai, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, accompanied by dancers from Uganda’s Ghetto Kids.
Coldplay and the PS22 Chorus concluded the performance alongside characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets, delivering a message of unity, hope and equal opportunities for children.
The halftime show formed part of a broader entertainment programme surrounding the final. Before kick-off, Post Malone headlined the closing ceremony, Jennifer Hudson performed the United States national anthem, while Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini also appeared. Actor Tom Cruise delivered a message celebrating football’s power to unite people around the world.
The final marked the conclusion of the first 48-team FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA’s introduction of a Super Bowl-style halftime show represented a major departure from World Cup tradition. While the production drew praise for its star power and charitable mission, the extended halftime interval also generated debate among football fans over its impact on the flow of the match and players’ preparation for the second half.
