World Cup 2026: Justin Bieber, Madonna headline historic halftime show

(ABC) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show made history Sunday as the first halftime performance ever staged during a FIFA World Cup final.

The performance, which lasted just over 11 minutes, featured Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, Burna Boy and BTS during the championship match between Argentina and Spain at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Madonna opened the show with “Music,” making a dramatic entrance through a subway-inspired tunnel accompanied by Brazilian soccer legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho before emerging onto the field.

The lineup also featured Gustavo Dudamel conducting a combined orchestra of the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela alongside the Muppets from “Sesame Street,” including Kermit and Miss Piggy. BTS followed with a performance of “Dynamite.”

Actor Jason Sudeikis then appeared as his fictional soccer coach Ted Lasso to introduce Bieber, who performed a special World Cup rendition of “Hallelujah.” Bieber handed the show over to Shakira, who was joined by Burna Boy for the official World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” closing the historic performance.

Produced by Global Citizen in partnership with Live Nation and Done + Dusted, the halftime show was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin after he proposed bringing a halftime performance to the FIFA World Cup final.

Ahead of the performance, Emmanuel Kelly, the first artist with a disability to headline a FIFA World Cup final halftime show, told ABC News the event was about more than music.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about me. It’s not about Justin Bieber or Shakira or Coldplay or BTS… It’s about uniting an insanely divided world,” Kelly said. “The halftime show … is about showing the world that we are all one. It’s reminding the world that we are one.”

The performance supported the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and football for children around the world. More than $50 million had already been raised before kickoff, and $1 from every ticket sold to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is being donated to the initiative.