Madonna, Shakira and BTS unite for first-ever World Cup final show

Pop icons Madonna, Shakira and K-pop sensation BTS will co-headline the half-time show at this summer’s FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey.

The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, concludes on 19 July.

The show is expected to last approximately 11 minutes, though reports suggest it could run longer than the 15-minute interval limit set by FIFA regulations. This will mark the first-ever half-time show at a World Cup final, following the precedent set by high-profile sporting events such as the Champions League final.

Colombian singer Shakira will release her official World Cup song, Dai Dai, featuring Nigerian artist Burna Boy, ahead of the final. Shakira previously gained global acclaim for her 2010 World Cup hit Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).

‘Queen of Pop’ Madonna, the world’s best-selling female artist, is set to release her 15th album, Confessions II, on 3 July. In April, she made a surprise appearance at Coachella, performing a duet of Vogue and Like A Prayer with Sabrina Carpenter.

BTS, South Korea’s best-selling music act, will return from a three-year hiatus for mandatory military service. The seven-member boy band, who scored a UK top-three hit with Coldplay in 2021 (My Universe), will perform while in the midst of an 85-date world tour.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the show as “a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup, befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.” The performance has been curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and will raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million (£73 million) for children worldwide.