soccer

Soccer-Madonna, BTS and Shakira to headline first World Cup final halftime show

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May 14 (Reuters) - Madonna and Shakira will line up with K-pop supergroup BTS to headline the first-ever World Cup final halftime show at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA said on Thursday.

May 14 (Reuters) - Madonna and Shakira will line up with K-pop supergroup BTS to ‌headline the first-ever World Cup final halftime ‌show at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA said ​on Thursday. Coldplay singer Chris Martin will curate the extravaganza scheduled for July 19, the tournament's organiser added. "The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final halftime show ‌will be a ⁠truly special moment, bringing together music, football and a shared commitment to improving ⁠the lives of children around the world," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on social media.

"Together, we ​will support ​the FIFA Global Citizen ​Education Fund and help ‌create greater access to quality education and football for children worldwide. " The 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will run from June 11 to July 19. The ‌tournament will feature 104 matches, ​up from the previous 64, ​including an additional ​knockout round.

Last year's Club World Cup ‌in North America, which served ​as a ​test run for the World Cup, also featured a halftime show including performances from American ​rapper Doja ‌Cat, Colombian singer J Balvin and Nigerian ​singer Tems. (Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; ​Editing by Andrew Heavens)