The first-ever half-time show in a World Cup final will see huge artists like BTS, Madonna, and Shakira performing.
Hype is building ahead of the 2026 tournament in North America. With more teams than ever, it’s set to be a month (and a bit) of non-stop football over the summer.
While expensive World Cup match tickets have caused uproar, fans are now getting improved transport to games thanks to a heavy investment in New York.
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And, for anyone attending the World Cup final on July 19, there’ll be quite the spectacle to take in on the night.
First-ever World Cup half-time show will feature BTS and Shakira
Much has been said about the fact that the USA is planning to have a half-time show for the first time in World Cup history. In a similar fashion to the Super Bowl, music artists will take to the field during the interval and entertain those supporters who choose to stay in their seats.
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Now, the lineup for the big show has been announced, with global superstars BTS set to share the stage with pop icon Madonna and Shakira, who has the honor of singing the official World Cup 2026 song.
The event is being curated by none other than Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who knows a thing or two about putting on a magical show. Based on Coldplay’s live shows, we can expect an immense lighting setup and lots of fireworks.
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As part of the announcement from FIFA, the half-time show has been earmarked as being pivotal to a charitable foundation known as the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The intention is to raise $100m in order to “expand access to quality education and football for children around the world.”
FIFA says $1 from the sale of every match ticket will go towards this fund.