The World Cup is taking a page from the Super Bowl — for the first time ever, the final match will feature a halftime performance headlined by Madonna, Shakira and BTS. Coldplay's Chris Martin curated the lineup, which was announced by FIFA and its charitable arm, Global Citizen. The performance will highlight three acts capturing this year's global spotlight.
The K-pop group BTS is in the midst of a massive comeback after its nearly four year hiatus that includes the release of a new chart-topping album, Arirang, and a blockbuster tour spanning more than 70 stadium shows. In July, shortly before the halftime performance, Madonna will release her highly anticipated album Confessions II, a sequel to her 2005 hit Confessions on a Dance Floor. And Shakira, currently between portions of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour, is often referred to as the unofficial queen of World Cup anthems — a title she consistently lives up to. Earlier this week, the Colombian superstar released her fourth official World Cup song, "Dai Dai" featuring the Nigerian singer Burna Boy.
Brent Keogh, a lecturer in music and sound design at the University of Technology Sydney, told NPR's All Things Considered that it's no coincidence FIFA continues to tap Shakira for musical contributions.
"She's good at incorporating elements or gestures towards other cultures, particularly African or Middle Eastern cultures," Keogh said. "So she can pull on these things and bring it into this global pop package."
The World Cup final will take place on Sunday, July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (which is being referred to as the New York New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup). This year's tournament will be hosted across 16 cities in North America as a collaboration between Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
FIFA first announced that it was planning a special halftime performance in March of last year. The performance will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative planning to raise $100 million for children's access to education and football around the world. In a statement shared by Global Citizen, all three headliners commended the fundraising effort.
"Without education, children are denied opportunity before they even have a chance," Madonna said in the statement. "Every child deserves access to quality learning — because education expands possibilities and creates lasting change."
News of the lineup coincides with reports that hotel bookings in certain host cities are running far below projections. Some fans are boycotting this year's World Cup due to high ticket prices and concerns over U.S. immigration policies and travel restrictions. Still, FIFA has said it expects the World Cup to break attendance records.
Mia Venkat contributed reporting to this story.
Copyright 2026 NPR
