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Madonna, Shakira and BTS to Headline First World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19

FIFA ties the new show to a $100 million education fund through a $1‑per‑ticket pledge.

Overview

  • FIFA, which confirmed the lineup Thursday, set the inaugural halftime concert for the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
  • Coldplay’s Chris Martin will curate the performance produced by Global Citizen to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which targets $100 million with $1 from every tournament ticket.
  • A playful teaser across social media featured Martin with Sesame Street and Muppets characters, and BTS appeared in a cameo during the reveal.
  • Reports place the performance at about 11 minutes, raising questions about fitting it into soccer’s 15‑minute halftime, with U.S. coverage on Fox and Telemundo but specific halftime presentation still to be detailed.
  • The show marks a break with 96 years of World Cup tradition after FIFA piloted similar entertainment at the 2025 Club World Cup, and it aims to tap the final’s massive global audience for both spectacle and fundraising.