World Cup 2026: Shakira, Madonna, and BTS confirmed for historic inaugural halftime show

The first-ever World Cup final halftime show is all set to headline Shakira, Madonna, and K-pop superstars, a lineup that is already generating immense excitement among fans. 

The final will take place on July 19 at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium and is expected to draw millions of global viewers. 

This year’s tournament kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City, with matches hosted across multiple locations in the US, Canada and Mexico.

In a related statement, FIFA stated that the final halftime-curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin-will be produced by the non-profit Global Citizen and will benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

The social media announcement further revealed Martin will be joined by characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets, with a special cameo from BTS.

Moving forward, FIFA President Gianni Infantino promoted the opening act during a World Cup event in March 2025. He expressed the view that this will be a historic moment for the tournament- a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.

However, the official rules of soccer, as outlined by the International Football Association Board are unclear; they state that halftime breaks should not exceed 15 minutes, leaving it uncertain whether FIFA will emulate the Super Bowl halftime performance style.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremonies set to take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, each host country will present its own grand performance and celebration. 

Mexico will kick things off on June 11 (with Latin Music’s finest: Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Angeles Azules, Mana, and Tyla), followed by Toronto the next day on June 12. Canada features beloved Canadian artists Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Revez, Michael Buble, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream, and William Prince. Los Angeles will kick off their opening finale at SoFi Stadium with global stars Anitta, Future, Katy Perry, LISA, Rema, and Tyla as headliners. ​