In the first-ever World Cup halftime show, USA Today reported that K-pop supergroup BTS, Shakira and Madonna will be featured in the World Cup Final Match. Nonprofit Global Citizen made the announcement Thursday in an Instagram post, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin explaining to Elmo and the rest of Sesame Street what a halftime show is.
In the video, Martin tells Elmo a halftime show is where “people get together, and there’s singing, there’s dancing, there’s music and there’s a chance to show how amazing all different kinds of humans are.”
What is the halftime for?
Martin, who helped Global Citizen with the first-ever halftime show for the FIFA Club World Cup final in 2025, explained to Elmo that the show would go toward raising funds for children education.
The funds will go to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which seeks to expand access to education and soccer for children around the world. The organization has the goal of raising $100 million for children around the world by the 2026 World Cup Final.
Who else is performing?
While BTS, Shakira and Madonna will highlight the World Cup final halftime show, each host country will stage its own opening ceremony with artists from each country.
- Mexico, June 11
- Maná, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules and Tyla
- United States, June 12
- Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla
- Canada, June 12
- Michael Bublé, Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince
1994 World Cup nearly had a halftime show
The last time the World Cup paid a visit to the United States 32 years ago, the tournament was almost introduced to its first halftime show.
Alan Rothenberg, former president of U.S. Soccer who oversaw the World Cup, told USA Today the event was going to have Whitney Houston perform, but FIFA would not allow it due to player warm-up concerns.
Instead, Houston was delayed and she performed for the closing ceremony.
After the most viewed Super Bowl halftime performance occurred in 2026, the world’s largest sports event may even eclipse the 4 billion views Bad Bunny had in February.
