Justin Bieber joins World Cup final halftime show lineup
Justin Bieber has joined Madonna, Shakira and BTS as a co-headliner for one of the defining times in World Cup history: the first Super Bowl-style halftime show at the final, on 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. FIFA and Global Citizen confirmed the 11-minute set on Wednesday, with Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus also appearing.
The Canadian pop star rounds out a lineup FIFA hopes will replicate the broad cultural success of the Super Bowl at a moment when billions typically tune in for football's biggest game. The performance also supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise $100 million for children worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- Justin Bieber is the latest co-headliner added to the inaugural World Cup final halftime show on 19 July at MetLife Stadium.
- The 11-minute performance is curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin and also features Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus and Sesame Street muppets.
- Shakira and Burna Boy, who opened the tournament across three North American host nations, will return to the stage together.
- FanDuel Sportsbook odds suggest betting markets are already guessing which hits each headliner will play first.
- The show backs the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, targeting $100 million for children's education and football access.
Who is performing at the World Cup final halftime show?
Bieber joins Madonna, Shakira and K-pop ensemble BTS as co-headliners for the tournament's first-ever halftime concert during the final in New York. Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay are also set to appear, alongside characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.
Chris Martin, Coldplay's frontman, selected the artists and is curating the production. Global Citizen, which is producing the show with FIFA, said the Staten Island elementary school choir and Venezuelan conductor Dudamel will share the stage with the global pop acts.
Why does this halftime show matter right now?
FIFA wants the World Cup final to carry the same cross-cultural punch as the Super Bowl halftime stage. The governing body hopes that by introducing a halftime musical performance at this year's final it can replicate the broad cultural success of the Super Bowl, according to The New York Times.
Bieber's addition expands the bill beyond pop, Latin and K-pop into R&B and Afrobeats. Burna Boy, who collaborated with Shakira on the official tournament song "Dai Dai," performed with her at the opening ceremony in Mexico City and will return for the finale. It is a rare case where sport, chart music and philanthropy share one spotlight at the same time.
For more stories where sport and spectacle collide in unexpected ways, see our Bizarre World coverage.
Which songs might BTS, Shakira and Madonna play first?
FIFA has not announced a setlist, but Fox Sports reports that fans can already wager on how the performance unfolds, much like a Super Bowl halftime show. As of 7 July, FanDuel Sportsbook listed Hooligan (+170) as the favourite first song for BTS, with IDOL (+250) and Dynamite (+430) further back.
For Shakira, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) sits at +300, ahead of Hips Don't Lie (+340). Madonna's Bring Your Love leads at -125, with Vogue (+500) among the longer shots. The odds underline how tightly packed an 11-minute window will be when four co-headliners share one stage.
How long will the halftime break actually last?
Organisers confirmed the musical performance itself will run 11 minutes, the BBC reported. That is a compact window for a bill spanning four co-headliners, a conductor, a school choir and surprise appearances from children's television characters.
Global Citizen has framed the show as a focused spectacle rather than an extended concert break. Even so, the format is new territory for a World Cup final, where halftime intervals in football are traditionally capped at 15 minutes. Full details are in the BBC's announcement. Kickoff for the final is scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern on 19 July.