Pop music titans Madonna, Shakira, and K-pop sensation BTS are slated to perform during the halftime show of the FIFA World Cup final game, as announced by Global Citizen on Thursday, May 14. This historic event, scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, marks the first time the FIFA World Cup final will feature a dedicated halftime show. The performance is expected to be 11 minutes in length.

The announcement was made via a quirky social video featuring Coldplay’s Chris Martin alongside beloved characters Elmo and Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, as well as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and other members of The Muppets. In a memorable moment from the video, the unlikely crew even placed a FaceTime call to BTS, building anticipation for the global spectacle.

Shakira's connection to this year's World Cup, hosted across North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico), has been notable. Her official 2026 World Cup song, “Dai Dai,” with Burna Boy, was previously announced, making it her second official FIFA World Cup anthem after “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” for the 2010 tournament in South Africa. The Colombian superstar is also embarking on her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour 2026, with dates on July 14 and July 20 in New Jersey and New York, respectively, strategically surrounding the World Cup final.

Madonna is also preparing for a busy July. The Queen of Pop is releasing “Confessions II,” the sequel to her acclaimed 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor, on July 3. She has already unveiled lead singles “Bring Your Love,” a duet with Sabrina Carpenter which they live-debuted at Coachella, and “I Feel So Free.”

BTS made a significant return to the music scene earlier this year with the March 20 release of their sixth studio album, ARIRANG. This project marked the South Korean group’s first since completing their military service hiatus. The album achieved remarkable success, debuting atop the Billboard 200 and holding the No. 1 spot for three consecutive weeks, their first multi-week chart-topper. Following the album, they kicked off their ARIRANG WORLD TOUR in Goyang, South Korea, before bringing the tour to the U.S. on April 25, with international dates extending through next March.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show is being curated by Global Citizen in collaboration with Coldplay’s Chris Martin. This partnership aims to raise money for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to secure $100 million to expand access to education and football opportunities for children globally. The fund has already raised over $30 million, benefiting from a $1 donation from every ticket sold to World Cup matches throughout the tournament. Global Citizen and Martin previously teamed up for last year’s Club World Cup final halftime show, which featured performances by Doja Cat, J Balvin, and Tems.

Separately, FIFA announced that Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, LISA, and Anitta are scheduled to perform during the 2026 World Cup opening ceremonies across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Katy Perry will headline the opening ceremony in Los Angeles ahead of the U.S. men’s national team’s first game against Paraguay on June 12, with Future and DJ Sanjoy also set to perform at SoFi Stadium. While this marks a debut for the World Cup final halftime show, two of its headliners have prior experience with major sports spectacles: Madonna headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012, and Shakira co-headlined with Jennifer Lopez in 2020.