For the first time in the 96-year history of the tournament, the FIFA World Cup Final is getting an official, Super Bowl-style Halftime Show, turning football’s biggest night into an even grander global spectacle. Naturally, that has fans asking plenty of questions. Who is performing? Which songs will be on the setlist? What kind of show is FIFA planning?

With excitement building ahead of the historic debut, the spotlight is now shifting beyond the match itself as the world’s biggest stars prepare to share football’s grandest stage, blending sport, music, and global entertainment in one unforgettable moment.

The historic FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026, marking the first time a World Cup final will feature a Super Bowl-style entertainment segment. The match is set to kick off at 3:00 PM ET, and the Halftime Show will take place during the break after the first 45 minutes of play, meaning its exact start time will depend on stoppage time. Based on projections, the performance is expected to begin around 3:50 PM ET, depending on how the first half unfolds.

This flexible timing is standard for football matches, as halftime only begins once the referee signals the end of the half. The venue for this landmark event is the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, officially referred to as the New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament. With a capacity of over 80,000, it will host both the World Cup Final and this unprecedented entertainment spectacle, combining global sport and music on one of the world’s biggest stages.

The landmark performance will be broadcast live as part of the official World Cup Final coverage rather than as a standalone event. In the United States, viewers can watch on FOX (English) and Telemundo (Spanish), with streaming available through FOX One, the FOX Sports app, and Peacock for Spanish-language coverage. In the United Kingdom, the final will air free-to-air on BBC and ITV, with live streaming available via BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

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In Spain, the World Cup Final and Halftime Show will be available free-to-air on RTVE (La 1) and RTVE Play, while viewers looking for comprehensive tournament coverage can also stream the match on DAZN, which holds rights to all 104 matches in Spain.

The official performer lineup for the historic first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show features a massive cross-generational mix of music icons and unique cultural figures. The event brings together legendary artists, global pop forces, and beloved characters for a spectacle designed to match the scale of football’s biggest night. The Co-Headliners section is led by three massive global acts sharing top billing. Madonna, the undisputed “Queen of Pop,” brings decades of era-defining hits and commanding stage presence to the global sporting stage, adding unmatched star power to the lineup.

Shakira returns to a massive soccer stage, continuing her long-standing connection with World Cup history. The Latin pop icon remains a staple of FIFA’s musical identity and also serves as a key board member for the event’s underlying humanitarian fund. BTS, the K-pop titans, represent the global wave of modern pop music, bringing their massive international fanbase and high-energy performance style to this historic moment.

Chris Martin (Coldplay), while not formally billed as a main performer, serves as the creative curator behind the entire spectacle. He is responsible for weaving together these distinct musical styles into a unified and cohesive show designed for a global audience, shaping the overall tone and experience of the halftime performance. Produced in partnership with Global Citizen to raise $100 million for children’s education, the show also includes a strong family-friendly and cultural dimension through its special guest appearances.

The Muppets and Sesame Street cast, including fan favorites like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, will be integrated directly into the performance, reinforcing the event’s educational mission while adding a playful and universally recognizable layer to the stage. Justin Bieber is also reported to be in talks with FIFA and producers as a potential surprise addition to the lineup for the July 19 finale. While not officially confirmed, ongoing discussions have fueled speculation that additional guest appearances could still be revealed closer to the event.

While the exact minute-by-minute set-list is being kept tightly under wraps by curator Chris Martin, several major tracks have already been officially confirmed or heavily teased by FIFA and the artists involved. The Halftime performance is expected to move at a rapid pace, built as a medley that blends solo anthems, fresh collaborations, and cross-genre mashups designed for a global stadium audience. Among the confirmed moments, ‘Dai Dai’ by Shakira and Burna Boy stands out as one of the biggest highlights of the night.

Shakira has explicitly confirmed her performance of the track, which also serves as the official anthem of the 2026 World Cup and a key theme for the FIFA Education Fund. The song is expected to deliver a high-energy fusion of Reggaeton and Afrobeats, setting a vibrant tone for the show. Another confirmed release is ‘Read My Lips,’ Madonna’s new collaborative single featuring Latin artist Feid, which has already been woven into the promotional rollout leading up to the final.

Beyond confirmed tracks, several stadium-level hits are strongly expected based on the artist's history and insider reports. Shakira is widely tipped to include nostalgic nods to her iconic World Cup legacy, with possible snippets of ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’ or ‘Hips Don’t Lie,’ linking her past performances to this new global stage. BTS are expected to bring their signature global pop energy with fan-favorite hits such as ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Butter,’ both of which are designed for massive crowd engagement.

Madonna’s segment is also expected to lean into her catalog of anthemic classics, with tracks like ‘Music,’ ‘Vogue,’ or a stadium-style reinterpretation of ‘Like a Prayer’ likely forming the backbone of her performance. The show is expected to culminate in a grand finale mashup featuring all three co-headliners, Madonna, Shakira, and BTS, sharing the stage for a genre-blending closing performance.

The show might also combine multiple signature songs into one continuous segment, creating a unified musical moment for the global audience. Chris Martin’s creative direction is also expected to influence this final sequence, with rumors pointing to the inclusion of a reworked soccer anthem or even a Coldplay classic such as ‘Viva La Vida’ or ‘A Sky Full of Stars,’ adapted specifically to feature contributions from all three headliners.

The final on July 19 at the New York-New Jersey Stadium is set to fundamentally reshape how the world views a football halftime break. For 96 years, World Cup halftimes have been a simple 15-minute pause for recovery, tactical adjustments, and analysis. What FIFA is now planning is a bold shift toward a Super Bowl-style entertainment spectacle, designed to reach billions of viewers with a blend of music, storytelling, and global messaging that extends far beyond sport.

A key idea shaping the production is the move toward a unified performance rather than separate, segmented acts. Instead of isolated mini-concerts, organizers are building what insiders describe as a continuous “mega-mashup” experience. Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans explained the collaborative creative process behind it, noting Chris Martin’s deep involvement with the artists.

“He’s been working incredibly hard. He actually reached out to BTS, he reached out to Madonna, he spoke with Shakira, and they worked on the creative vision for the entire halftime show together,” he said. “Every turn he said this is a project that he believes in, he wants to make a contribution to humanity.”

The production, handled by Live Nation and Done + Dusted, is being designed to feel fluid, cinematic, and collaborative from start to finish. Beyond entertainment, the Halftime Show is being framed around a clear humanitarian mission. FIFA and Global Citizen are positioning it as more than a performance, but as a platform for global impact focused on children’s education.

Shakira, who is also a board member of the related fund, emphasized this purpose, saying, “I've spent my life doing two things — making songs and building schools… My hope is that on the world's biggest stage, the importance of investing in children's education steals the show!”

BTS echoed a similar sentiment, stating, “Music is the universal language of hope and harmony, and we're honored to celebrate that power at the World Cup by connecting with millions of viewers around the world in support of children's education.”

Behind the spectacle is a larger ambition to transform the event into something culturally meaningful, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino stating, “We want to go above that, and we want to continue even after the World Cup. We have to raise USD 1 billion, because it's worthwhile… Everyone can become a little better by having the right education, [and] we embrace that, we work on that and we put all our heart and our passion in this project.”

However, the show is not without controversy. Football traditionalists have raised concerns about the “Yankeefication” of the sport, arguing that turning halftime into a large-scale entertainment event could disturb the game’s natural flow. Another major issue is timing, since a performance of this size may be difficult to set up within the usual 15-minute break. Broadcasters and team officials are also worried about possible extensions, fearing it could affect player recovery and increase injury risk when play resumes. Even so, FIFA is pushing ahead to turn halftime into a worldwide stage for music, culture, and purpose while keeping the match at the center.

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Which aspect of the FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.