Madonna, BTS and Shakira star in first World Cup final halftime show as extended break draws fire
The first halftime show in World Cup final history featured Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Justin Bieber at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, stretching the break to over 27 minutes and drawing sharp criticism from players and purists.
A historic first
For the first time, a World Cup final included a halftime show, modelled on the Super Bowl. FIFA brought together Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, and the New York Philharmonic under the curation of Coldplay's Chris Martin. The spectacle unfolded at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during the Spain-Argentina final, with the score locked at 0-0 at the break.
The performances
Madonna opened the show, wheeled onto the pitch on a cart driven by Brazilian icons Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, as she sang 'Music'. Gustavo Dudamel then conducted the New York Philharmonic and The Muppets' band, including drummer Animal, through a stadium-ready 'Seven Nation Army'. BTS followed with a tightly choreographed 'Dynamite', with Jungkook springing from behind violinists. Justin Bieber, introduced by Ted Lasso actor Jason Sudeikis, offered a stripped-back 'Everything Hallelujah' on acoustic guitar, adding the line "It's the World Cup Hallelujah?". Shakira and Burna Boy performed 'Dai Dai' surrounded by dancing children, and a children's choir closed the show with a new Coldplay song.
- Madonna enters the field on a cart driven by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, performing her 2020 hit.
- Gustavo Dudamel conducts the New York Philharmonic and Muppet band, including Animal, in the White Stripes anthem.
- Jungkook emerges from behind violinists as the K-pop group delivers a high-energy, slickly choreographed set.
- Introduced by Ted Lasso, Bieber sings 'Everything Hallelujah' with only an acoustic guitar, adding a World Cup lyric.
- Shakira performs 'Dai Dai' with Burna Boy and a group of dancing children.
- A children's choir closes the show with a new Coldplay song, curated by Chris Martin.
Extended break controversy
The halftime break stretched to over 27 minutes, well beyond the regulation 15 minutes. FIFA had said the show itself would last 17 minutes, while Global Citizen's Hugh Evans put it at 11 minutes and 11 seconds. The delay drew sharp criticism. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the organisation was too focused on commerce.
FIFA, where are you going? The drink breaks were just the beginning. During the final we get the highlight of the tournament: the longest halftime break in football history. The World Cup final as a copy of the Super Bowl.
Players' union head Evgeniy Levchenko called it "crazy that footballers have to wait longer in the World Cup final because stars are performing." British sports sociologist John Williams argued football is meant to be an uninterrupted contest, and Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo had warned in 2024 that extended halftimes disrupt player routines.
Commercial and charitable motives
FIFA paired the entertainment with a fundraising push. The 'FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund', backed by Gianni Infantino and a daughter of Donald Trump, aims to raise $100 million for children's education through football. One dollar from each World Cup ticket goes to the fund, supplemented by millions in donations from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan's football federation. Shakira pledged her royalty income from the event. Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen, promoted the show as the biggest artist gathering for a single cause since Live Aid.
This is the greatest gathering of artists united for a single cause since Live Aid. It could well be the most-watched eleven-minute music broadcast in history.
## Reception Dutch media were largely underwhelmed. De Volkskrant noted that BTS's 'Dynamite' "pumped the biggest dose of energy into an otherwise fairly soulless halftime concert," while NRC remarked that even The Muppets could not save a show that rested more on pretension than creativity. The quick succession of acts left little room for tension or memorable moments, and the comparison with polished Super Bowl shows was unfavourable.
