For the first time in the tournament's 96-year history, the FIFA World Cup final is getting a halftime show—and it's going to be a blockbuster.
Madonna, Shakira, and BTS have been announced as the headliners for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, just outside New York City. The show, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, promises to bring a Super Bowl-style spectacle to the world's biggest soccer stage.
The announcement came with a playful twist: Martin revealed the lineup alongside Sesame Street's Elmo and Cookie Monster, as well as Kermit the Frog, Animal, and Miss Piggy. Soccer fans might note that Miss Piggy's absence from the actual performance could be the biggest miss since Diana Ross's infamous penalty kick at the 1994 World Cup opening ceremony.
This marks a major shift for the sport. While pre-match performances have become common at events like the Champions League final, staging a show during the halftime break is unprecedented at this level. The Laws of the Game strictly limit halftime to 15 minutes, but last summer's Club World Cup final halftime show between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain ran for 24 minutes, suggesting organizers are ready to push boundaries.
Madonna, the best-selling female artist of all time, brings her iconic catalog of hits that perfectly capture the energy of host city New York. Shakira needs no introduction to soccer fans—her 2010 World Cup anthem "Waka Waka" remains one of the tournament's most memorable songs, and she's set to release "Dai Dai" with Nigerian rapper Burna Boy just before the final. BTS, the most successful K-pop group in history, returns to the global stage after a three-year hiatus for mandatory military service, adding a massive international following to the mix.
Beyond the entertainment, the halftime show carries a meaningful purpose. Produced in partnership with Global Citizen, it will raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, aiming to provide educational opportunities for children around the world. It's a fitting addition to a tournament that will unite fans across the United States, Canada, and Mexico—and now, across the music world too.