In Pictures: FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show

11 minutes of pure entertainment.

After 45 minutes of tense gameplay between Spain and Argentina with both teams still tied for the iconic solid 18-karat gold FIFA trophy, this strictly 11-minute performance brought much-needed levity to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This inaugural halftime performance, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, has been a big topic of conversation among football fans. As the players disappeared into the tunnels, pop icon Madonna took over with an electrifying performance of “Danceteria”, a hit from her latest Confessions II album. She walked onto the field with two Brazilian football legends: Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Ronaldo (also known as O Fenômeno).

The Muppets then performed a rendition of The White Stripes’s “Seven Nation Army” alongside the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra. Jung Kook emerges from behind the orchestra with the butter-smooth first line of “Dynamite”; and the crowd goes wild for BTS’s upbeat performance. The energy remains high, even as Justin Bieber performs a stripped down version of “Everything Hallelujah“.

Shakira–originator of “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)“, an enduring and beloved football anthem around the world since 2010–closes out the show with the tournament’s latest official anthem, “Dai Dai”. She wears a custom Roberto Cavalli look.