From “In Da Club” to the pitch. Sports Illustrated announced its SI Beyond the Pitch series on Monday (May 11), which will serve up fan events across the U.S. in celebration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
SI — who partnered with Medium Rare and Authentic Live — is bringing plenty of star power to Miami, NYC, Los Angeles and Dallas, as 50 Cent, Diplo, The Chainsmokers, Nelly and Gordo are slated to perform in the World Cup hosting cities this summer.
50 Cent and Diplo will perform during championship weekend on July 18 in NYC at Cipriani Wall Street, while The Chainsmokers are set to take over Miami’s DAER on June 26. Formerly known as Carnage, Gordo will take the stage at SILO in Dallas for a DJ set, and Nelly’s heading to the Hollywood Palladium on June 12 to kick off the series.
“SI has firmly established itself as the place to be on sports’ biggest weekends,” said Matt Goldstein, EVP of Authentic Live, in a statement. “Whether it’s Travis Kelce and Justin Bieber or the next generation of athletes and icons, the guest list reads like a who’s who of sports and culture. That’s what we build toward every time.”
“This isn’t just a tournament; it’s the most significant sporting event of a generation to hit American soil,” added Joe Silberzweig, founder and CEO of Medium Rare, in a statement. “The scale of this moment is reflected in the unprecedented demand we’re seeing across the board. We are leaning into that energy to introduce the most high-octane nightlife experiences the global soccer community has ever seen, creating a cultural epicenter in each host city that matches the gravity of what’s happening on the pitch.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11 with Mexico taking on South Africa in Mexico City. As for the U.S., Team USA begins its quest for a World Cup on June 12 in a match-up with Paraguay in Los Angeles.
On the music side of the pitch, Shakira teased a clash of reggaetón and Afrobeats for a spicy collaboration with Nigerian superstar Burna Boy on Thursday (May 7), which is titled “Dai Dai.” The track is set to arrive on May 14 and will serve as the official soundtrack to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
See Sports Illustrated’s flyer for Beyond the Pitch below:
Sports Illustrated Beyond the Pitch
Courtesy of Medium Rare
