World Cup final halftime show 2026: Full lineup and performers

The World Cup final halftime show 2026 will bring a new form of entertainment to football’s biggest match, with FIFA introducing its first-ever American-style performance at the midway point of the World Cup final on July 19.

A star-studded lineup has been confirmed for the halftime show at the MetLife Stadium (New York New Jersey Stadium), with global music stars including Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS among the headline performers.

The show will take place during the interval of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, July 19. The organisers see it as an extra layer of entertainment to the conclusion of the tournament in line with its host, the United States. Football purists, however, see it as an unnecessary change to the traditional 15-minute half-time interval.

While the official setlist has not yet been announced, fans will be able to see some of the biggest names in global music perform during what could become a new tradition from FIFA at the World Cup final.

Who is performing at the World Cup final halftime show 2026?

The World Cup final halftime show lineup features some of the biggest artists from around the world of music.

There is also a broad variety of nationalities of the performers, rather than picking singers and musicians from the United States, as FIFA look to abroad to a global audience.

The confirmed performers are:

The show is being curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who is helping shape the musical direction of the performance, alongside the PS22 Chorus who have stolen the hearts of millions through their acapella choir directed by Gregg Breinberg.

World Cup final halftime show 2026 lineup: Full list of performers

The headline names for FIFA’s first World Cup final halftime show reflect the global nature of the tournament, with a star-studded line-up with musicians from around the world.

Justin Bieber remains one of the biggest names in modern pop music, while Madonna brings decades of experience from some of the world’s largest entertainment events.

Shakira remains as popular as ever. The Colombian singer is now synonymous with the FIFA World Cup since “Waka Waka” became the theme song of the 2010 edition in South Africa. Her song “Dai Dai” is the lead song of the 2026 World Cup in North America which, despite not yet being announced, will almost certainly feature at half time.

BTS will add a K-pop presence to the event, with an almost cult following in South Korea and around the world. Burna Boy represents the continued global growth of Afrobeats, while the inclusion of Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay adds a different musical element to the performance.

When is the World Cup final halftime show?

The halftime show will take place on Sunday, July 19, 2026, during the break between the first and second halves of the FIFA World Cup final.

The final will be played at the New York New Jersey Stadium, better known as MetLife Stadium – home of the New York Jets and New York Giants in the NFL – with kick-off scheduled for the evening in the United States.

Will the World Cup final halftime show be broadcast in UK?

In the United Kingdom, the idea of a halftime performance half way through a football match still does not sit right with most football fans.

Such is the feeling of unease about what is perceived as the ‘Americanisation” of football that the BBC does NOT plan to broadcast it. Instead, the BBC will stick to its usual half-time analysis about the match itself.

ITV, who will also broadcast the World Cup final in the UK, have not yet confirmed if they will show the halftime act.

The performance itself is expected to last approximately 11 minutes. However, due to the fact that the assembling and dissembling of the performance stage will also require significant time, the usual 15-minute break between halves is expected to be surpassed.

Some suggest that the overall half-time break of the match will last between 20-30 minutes.

How to watch the World Cup final halftime show in the UK

It is not yet certain whether the two UK channels showing the World Cup final – BBC and ITV – will broadcast the halftime show.

The BBC will reportedly stick to their usual half-time analysis, focusing purely on the footballing aspect of the game along with their expert punditry, while ITV has yet to confirm its stance.

However, the World Cup halftime show could be broadcast on the BBC and ITV streaming platforms – BBC iPlayer and ITVX – respectively. No official confirmation has been announced one way or another.

What songs will be performed at the World Cup final halftime show?

The official World Cup final halftime show setlist has not yet been announced.

FIFA has confirmed the performers, but details of which songs each artist will perform have not been revealed. Once the setlist is confirmed, we will provide the full list of songs, including any collaborations or surprise appearances.

Given the size of the lineup, fans will likely be expecting a mixture of the artists’ biggest global hits alongside songs connected to football.

Why is FIFA introducing a World Cup final halftime show?

The 2026 tournament marks the first time FIFA has introduced a dedicated halftime show for the men’s World Cup final.

The decision reflects the increasing focus on making major sporting events into global entertainment spectacles, similar to the approach taken by events such as the Super Bowl.

This approach divides opinion among casual football watchers and dedicated purists of the game.

With the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams and being hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, FIFA is aiming to create a final event that appeals beyond traditional football audiences.

The combination of the world’s biggest football match and some of the biggest names in music is designed to make the World Cup final an even larger global television event.

World Cup final halftime show 2026: Key details