Representatives for Madonna have dispelled a viral rumour that she was in Donald Trump‘s suite during the World Cup final.
- READ MORE: Madonna – ‘Confessions II’ review: Queen Of Pop digs deep on thrilling return to the dancefloor
The singer, whose latest album ‘Confessions II’ recently reached the top spot of the Billboard 200 Album Charts, performed during the Chris Martin-curated World Cup halftime show on Sunday (July 19).
Since then, speculation has gone viral on social media that she was sitting in President Trump’s luxury suite at MetLife Stadium.
It comes due to a brief shot of Trump’s box during the match between Spain and Argentina, which showed several guests seated alongside Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Some fans on X then posted that one of the women visible in the suite, seated behind Melania Trump, was Madonna.
However, the clip coincided with the period right before the performance, when Madonna would most likely have been backstage preparing. She has also been a vocal critic of Trump for decades – even before he ran for president.
A rep for Madonna has since confirmed she was not in the suite, per Rolling Stone.
Footage of Melania Trump at the World Cup is going viral as people notice who’s behind her 👀 pic.twitter.com/fraljPf9Nw
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) July 19, 2026
During the halftime show, Madonna performed her song ‘Music’ with football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho making a cameo beside her. After a performance of The White Stripes‘ ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The Muppets, BTS took over to perform their hit ‘Dynamite’.
Ted Lasso actor Jason Sudeikis appeared in-character to introduce Justin Bieber, who performed ‘Everything Hallelujah’ solo, followed by Shakira and Burna Boy duetting the 2026 World Cup anthem, ‘Dai Dai’. Chris Martin rounded off the ceremony with a performance of new Coldplay song called ‘We Dance’, aided by children’s choir PS22.
The halftime show elicited some strong opinions from former England footballer and BBC commentator Wayne Rooney, who deemed the show “crap”.
As for Madonna, ‘Confessions II’ is her 10th album to top the charts – with the first being 1984’s ‘Like a Virgin’ – and makes her the fourth artist to have 10 Number Ones on both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 charts, joining Taylor Swift, Drake and The Beatles.
‘Confessions II’ includes the Sabrina Carpenter collaboration ‘Bring Your Love’, which was released as the album’s lead single earlier this year, as well as ‘I Feel So Free’, which NME described as a “hedonistic deep house-flavoured floor-filler”, and the “pounding” club-ready single ‘Love Sensation’.
In a four-star review of ‘Confessions II’, NME wrote: “By drawing from her past, both personally and musically, Madonna has made her most vital album in over two decades. This grande dame still knows how to make us move.”
