Big names coming to North Jersey for World Cup final's halftime show

Global music stars Shakira, Madonna and BTS will headline the first-ever halftime show during the FIFA World Cup final , organizers announced Wednesday, marking a major entertainment shift for the world’s biggest sporting event. The performance is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium , which will host the championship match of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup . The “Super Bowl-style” halftime show will be produced in partnership with Global Citizen and curated by Chris Martin, frontman of Coldplay.

Organizers said the performance aims to combine Latin music, pop and K-pop on one stage while helping raise awareness and funding for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The initiative has set a goal of raising $100 million to expand access to education and football programs for children around the world. The halftime show represents a historic first for FIFA, which traditionally has not included large-scale musical performances during the World Cup final.

The addition signals FIFA’s growing effort to blend sports, entertainment and global activism as the tournament heads to North America. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and will feature an expanded 48-team format for the first time in tournament history. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.

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