What You Need to Know About the 2026 World Cup Final Halftime Show
· Time
For the first time ever, the FIFA World Cup final will feature a star-studded halftime show.
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In what is being compared to a Super Bowl spectacular, the performances are set to be broadcast live to millions of soccer fans.
The 2022 final in Qatar was the most-watched in FIFA World Cup history, attracting 1.5 billion viewers around the world. This year’s final in New Jersey is expected to break those records.
Curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, the halftime show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has promised “a historic moment for the World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”
With the World Cup underway in its three host countries—Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.—here’s what you need to know about the final’s hotly-anticipated halftime show.
Fireworks go off at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on Dec. 18, 2022. —Richard Heathcote––Getty ImagesWhen is the World Cup final halftime show—and how can I watch it?
The show will take place during the FIFA World Cup final which is set to start at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19.
It’s happening at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which is temporarily being called the New York New Jersey Stadium due to the World Cup’s rules on endorsements.
In the United States, viewers will be able to watch the show live on Fox Sports, with the match airing on the FOX network.
Spanish-language viewers can watch through NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service with a Premium or Premium Plus subscription. The match will also air on Telemundo.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a free World Cup final watch-party for 50,000 New Yorkers.
“You don’t need to drop thousands of dollars to watch the World Cup final. And you don't need to be a professional to play in the World Cup. You just need to head to Central Park,” Mamdani said.
Madonna performs during the Super Bowl at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Feb. 5, 2012. —Kevin Mazur––Getty ImagesWho is performing at the FIFA World Cup halftime show?
The show will be co-headlined by Shakira, Madonna, and K-pop supergroup BTS.
Shakira, who also led the line-up for the tournament’s opening ceremony in Mexico City on June 11, serves on the advisory board of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
Shakira and Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy partnered up for this year’s official World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai.”
Royalties from the song will support the education fund, with Sony Music pledging to match the first $250,000 raised with a donation.
Shakira will be joined by the Ghetto Kids, a Ugandan dance troupe that rose to prominence following appearances on America’s Got Talent in 2024.
Shakira is no stranger to either the World Cup or halftime performances. In 2010, she cemented her place in soccer culture with Waka Waka, the chart-topping anthem of that tournament.
A decade later, she headlined the Super Bowl halftime show alongside Jennifer Lopez.
Madonna also has experience leading a halftime event, as she famously headlined the 2012 Super Bowl show.
BTS, the seven-person K-pop group who recently returned to the scene following a three-year hiatus to complete mandatory military service obligations, will be taking the night off from their global tour to perform at the soccer event of the year.
K-pop boy band BTS perform onstage during comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, on March 21, 2026. —Kim Hong-Ji––Getty ImagesWhy has Global Citizen partnered with FIFA—and how is Chris Martin involved?
The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund aims to support grassroots programs in more than 200 countries, expanding access to education and soccer.
The initiative is “aiming to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and football [soccer] opportunities for children worldwide.”
Global Citizen has previously partnered with governments, businesses, and entertainers on large-scale fundraising efforts, such as the Stand Up for Ukraine event launched in 2022.
Martin became involved after he reached out to the initiative during the previous World Cup.
“Four years ago, at the time of the Qatar World Cup, Chris Martin called me and said, ‘wouldn’t it be amazing if we could do a halftime show for the World Cup, because it is this moment that brings all of humanity together,’” explained Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans.
When asked whether Martin himself would perform at the halftime show, Evans did not confirm either way, but said that the audience is in “for some big surprises.”
—Eva Marie Uzcategui—Getty ImagesInternational hesitations over the halftime show
British television networks BBC and ITV, which are broadcasting the World Cup for U.K. fans, are reportedly considering not airing the halftime show in real-time.
Instead, the broadcasters are expected to stick with their traditional format of using the slot to air commentary from pundits analyzing the first half of the match.
The performances would instead be viewable via the networks’ respective digital platforms.
The interval for soccer matches is typically timed to 15 minutes. It’s understood FIFA has yet to confirm exactly how long the half-time show will be.
TIME has contacted the BBC and ITV for comment.