Historic 2026 FIFA World Cup halftime: Madonna to Bieber
Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and Shakira co-headlined the first-ever 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, the historic set mixed pop hits, the Muppets and a Ted Lasso cameo while supporting a global education fund.
Key Takeaways
- Madonna opened the first FIFA World Cup halftime show in history with "Music," joined by Brazil legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo.
- BTS performed "Dynamite," while Jason Sudeikis appeared as Ted Lasso to introduce Justin Bieber's acoustic "Everything Hallelujah."
- Shakira and Burna Boy raised the energy with "Dai Dai," and Coldplay closed with Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus.
- The show supported the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which has raised over $50 million toward a $100 million goal.
- A-listers including Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner watched from the stands.
Who performed at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show?
The Sunday spectacle at MetLife Stadium marked the first halftime show in FIFA World Cup history. Madonna took the stage first, singing her 2000 hit "Music" as dancers roller-skated around her before she walked out of a tunnel onto the field.
Brazil soccer legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo joined Madonna. The Muppets' Animal then played drums to the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army," with the famed Muppet band Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem also featured.
BTS kept the energy high with "Dynamite." Jason Sudeikis made a surprise appearance as Ted Lasso to introduce Justin Bieber, who delivered an acoustic guitar set of "Everything Hallelujah." Shakira then took the stage with Burna Boy for "Dai Dai."
Coldplay closed the show with conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus — a viral choir of New York fourth and fifth graders who danced in colorful jerseys as "Love" and a globe were spelled out on the field. Full photo coverage is available via Page Six.
Why was the 2026 FIFA World Cup halftime show historic?
Beyond being FIFA's first World Cup halftime production, the show was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin around a message of togetherness. Martin announced the bill in May with a video featuring Sesame Street's Elmo and Cookie Monster plus the Muppets' Kermit, Miss Piggy and Animal.
In that clip, Martin and Elmo FaceTimed BTS members about joining. "This show is more about 'we' than 'me,'" Martin later said. "I mean, it's about togetherness, really."
The performance supported the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and football for children worldwide. The fund has already raised over $50 million, and $1 from every ticket sold to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches was donated throughout the tournament.
Which celebrities watched the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium?
Argentina faced Spain in the final, with A-list guests packing the stands. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Adrien Brody, Matt Damon and Will Ferrell were among those on hand, according to celebrity breaking news coverage of the night.
Timothée Chalamet and girlfriend Kylie Jenner attended as a date night, kissing for cameras from their seats. Before kickoff, Post Malone and Swae Lee surprised the crowd with "Sunflower," plus Post Malone's "Chrome Heartbreaker" and "Wow."
Tickets were nearly "impossible" to get, Page Six sources said, as athletes, entertainers and sponsors flooded East Rutherford for the week. The star-studded bill underscored how the World Cup now rivals other major entertainment gatherings in scale and celebrity draw.