Madonna, BTS and Justin Bieber pack FIFA final halftime
Madonna, BTS and Justin Bieber co-headlined FIFA's first World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, 2026, alongside Shakira in an 11-minute medley at New York New Jersey Stadium. Curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, the blink-and-you-miss-it set also featured Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the Muppets.
Key Takeaways
- The historic first FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show clocked in at just over 11 minutes, leaving each star roughly two minutes on stage.
- Madonna opened with "Music," BTS performed "Dynamite," Justin Bieber sang "Everything Hallelujah," and Shakira joined Burna Boy on "Dai Dai."
- Jason Sudeikis briefly appeared as Ted Lasso to introduce Bieber during the scoreless Spain vs. Argentina final.
- Chris Martin curated the show and closed with the Muppets and the PS22 Chorus.
What happened during the FIFA final halftime show?
According to Variety, the extravaganza answered how you fit Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, Chris Martin and the Muppets into one segment: as fleetingly as possible.
Despite reports it might run long, the show came in only a few seconds over 11 minutes. None of the headliners got more than about two minutes on the field.
Madonna opened with a pre-taped jeep ride through stadium tunnels with Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, performing "Music" before mostly striking a pose for live fans. Dudamel then led string sections with a Muppet band on the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army."
How did Madonna, BTS and Justin Bieber share the stage?
BTS took over around the three-minute mark with about a minute and 40 seconds of "Dynamite," including altered football lyrics. An unbilled Jason Sudeikis then reprised Ted Lasso to coach Justin Bieber onto the field.
Bieber delivered a solo acoustic take of "Everything Hallelujah" from his "Swag II" album. Shakira, joined by Burna Boy, led "Dai Dai," the FIFA anthem, before Martin, the Muppets and the Webby Award-winning PS22 Chorus closed singing "We believe in love."
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Why did the packed halftime lineup matter?
It was FIFA's first-ever official World Cup Final Halftime Show, co-headlined by Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and Shakira to match the tournament's American backdrop and global reach. With Spain vs. Argentina scoreless at the half, crowds needed an adrenaline boost, Variety reported.
Earlier, Post Malone sang three songs in the opening ceremony, Jennifer Hudson delivered the U.S. national anthem, and Tom Cruise gave an inspirational speech opening the final at the temporarily renamed New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.