Story perspectives

FIFA Unveils Star-Studded 2026 World Cup Halftime Show

7/10/2026

Summary

FIFA Announces Halftime

FIFA announced that the 2026 World Cup Final halftime show will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Justin Bieber will co-headline with Madonna, Shakira and BTS.
Chris Martin curates the 11-minute show, featuring Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus with Coldplay, and Sesame Street and Muppets characters.
$1 from each match ticket will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which has raised over $50 million toward a $100 million goal.

Summary

FIFA Urges Pledges

A pledging event on July 16, 2026 will urge leaders to commit to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Carney and Portugal’s Prime Minister have pledged support.
Global Citizen is courting France, Spain and Germany for pledges.
FIFA and Global Citizen announced the first grant cohort and opened an application round.
The fund says about 350 million children are out of school and 133 million lack reading and math skills.

History

Historical Context

FIFA’s opening ceremony debuted at the 2010 South African World Cup, where a 40-minute show on 11 June featured 1 500 performers and introduced Shakira’s official song as President Jacob Zuma opened the tournament. The format returned for the 2026 World Cup, with three host nations—Mexico, Canada and the United States—staging separate ceremonies on 11-12 June, each showcasing local culture.

1 of 3

FIFA Announces Halftime

FIFA announced that the 2026 World Cup Final halftime show will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Justin Bieber will co-headline with Madonna, Shakira and BTS.
Chris Martin curates the 11-minute show, featuring Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus with Coldplay, and Sesame Street and Muppets characters.
$1 from each match ticket will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which has raised over $50 million toward a $100 million goal.

1 / 3