Madonna, Shakira, and BTS have been announced as the headline performers for the first-ever World Cup half-time show, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. The three global superstar acts will take the pitch at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during an extended interval of the final on Sunday, 19 July.
Lineup Revealed by Chris Martin
Martin revealed the lineup today, four weeks before the World Cup's opening match, in a video featuring puppets from Sesame Street and the Muppets. The show is produced by Global Citizen, a social action organization collaborating with FIFA to raise $100 million for an education fund through World Cup ticket sales.
Emulating the Super Bowl
The event is designed to mimic the popularity of the NFL's Super Bowl half-time show, which rivals the game itself in prominence and generates the world's most expensive TV advertising slots. Madonna, the best-selling female music artist of all time, headlined the 2012 Super Bowl half-time show, where British rapper MIA was fined for raising her middle finger.
Shakira, whose track "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, co-headlined the NFL show with Jennifer Lopez in 2020. K-Pop sensations BTS are in the midst of a major comeback world tour after all seven members completed mandatory military service in South Korea last year.
Extended Show Duration
The Super Bowl half-time show typically lasts 25-30 minutes, and it is anticipated that FIFA's version will also extend beyond the standard 15-minute interval. Football fans have previously been lukewarm toward musical performances at marquee matches, with Camila Cabello being jeered during her pre-show performance at the 2022 Champions League final.
FIFA announced the introduction of a World Cup half-time show over a year ago and staged one featuring Doja Cat and J Balvin during the final of last summer's Club World Cup, also at MetLife Stadium.
