Shakira, Madonna, and BTS will headline the first ever halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who curated this year’s artists, announced the news in a social media video alongside Sesame Street‘s Elmo and Cookie Monster with Kermit, Miss Piggie, and more beloved characters from The Muppets. The July 19 event will take place MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to provide access to quality education and football for children worldwide.
Earlier this month, Shakira released “Dai Dai,” the official 2026 World Cup song with Burna Boy, and her second World Cup track following “Waka, Waka (This Time for Africa),” which she performed during the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Meanwhile, Madonna is set return to the Tribeca Festival this summer with a new cinematic project tied to her forthcoming studio album, Confessions II, arriving July 3. The pop star live-debuted the LP’s lead single “Bring Your Love” during Sabrina Carpenter’s headlining Weekend Two set at Coachella.
BTS also made a comeback earlier this year with the March release of their sixth studio album, Arirang, their first LP in nearly four years after all seven members fulfilled their mandatory military service in South Korea. BTS brought their Arirang world tour to North America in April with the first of three sold-out nights at Tampa, Florida’s Raymond James Stadium.
Last week, FIFA announced that Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, Lisa, Rema, and Tyla will headline the opening ceremony of the first World Cup game in the United States on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The U.S. will face Paraguay in the tournament’s opening match.
In Canada, Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatei, Sanjoy, Vegedream, and William Prince will take the stage to celebrate the opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto’s BMO Field. And the opening ceremony in Mexico will include J Balvin, Tyla, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, and Danny Ocean before the tournament opener on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium.
