FIFA Gave the World Cup Final a Halftime Show. Burna Boy, Shakira and BTS Made It Unforgettable.
In the World Cup's 96-year history, halftime had always belonged to football. FIFA changed that in 2026 with its first official halftime show featuring Burna Boy, Shakira, BTS and other global stars.
For more than a year, FIFA built anticipation for something the World Cup final had never seen before. On Sunday, it finally arrived, turning halftime into part of the occasion rather than simply a break in play.
For generations, halftime — a short pause for players to regroup, coaches to adjust tactics and supporters to catch their breath before the second half.
That routine lasted through 96 years of World Cup history until Spain and Argentina walked off the pitch at New York New Jersey Stadium and the music began.
Burna Boy, Shakira, BTS, Madonna, Justin Bieber and other international stars headlined the performance. The show was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin in partnership with Global Citizen, and produced by Live Nation and Done + Dusted, with veteran live-event producer Hamish Hamilton directing.
Burna Boy reunited with Shakira to perform Dai Dai,the tournament's official song and a Billboard Global 200 chart-topper, after the pair first introduced it during the opening ceremony.
BTS performed Dynamite, while Gustavo Dudamel led a combined New York Philharmonic and Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra. Uganda's Ghetto Kids, Emmanuel Kelly, the PS22 Chorus, Sesame Street and The Muppets also featured.
Eleven Minutes, No Room for Error
Those 11 minutes required months of planning.
Halftime was extended to about 30 minutes, giving crews enough time to assemble the stage, complete the performance and clear the pitch before the players returned for the second half. Every movement had to stay on schedule because once play resumed, there was no room for delay.
The production echoed the Super Bowl, where halftime has long become part of the event itself. FIFA has now brought that idea to football's biggest stage.
The Fine Print Behind the Fun
The halftime show also supported the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to education and football opportunities for children worldwide.
Organisers said every performer volunteered their time, while part of the fundraising target was being supported through a one-dollar contribution attached to every World Cup ticket sold during the tournament.
Halftime wasn't the night's only performance. Before kickoff, Jennifer Hudson, Post Malone, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Laura Pausini, Swae Lee and IShowSpeed appeared during the closing ceremony.
The entertainment programme reflected a World Cup that introduced several changes beyond the football itself. The tournament expanded to 48 teams, was jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and introduced championship rings for the winners for the first time in the competition's history, alongside the traditional trophy and gold medals.
The show itself lasted only 11 minutes. Whether halftime becomes a permanent stage for performances at future World Cup finals is a question FIFA has now left to football to answer.