Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber Headline World Cup Final Halftime Show

FIFA transformed the halftime break of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain into a major musical celebration, adopting a format similar to the U.S. Super Bowl. This marked the first time the tournament's final featured such an elaborate show. The performance, lasting less than fifteen minutes, brought together global superstars like Shakira, Madonna, BTS, and Justin Bieber.

The extended halftime, which stretched beyond the usual 15 minutes to accommodate the spectacle, saw a total of 27 minutes pass from the end of the first half to the start of the second. Shakira performed "Dai Dai," the official World Cup song, alongside Nigerian singer Burna Boy, accompanied by winners of the Dai Dai Challenge and the Ugandan group Ghetto Kids. Madonna made an appearance with former football stars Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Nazário. Justin Bieber performed "Everything Hallelujah" solo with his guitar.

Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, leading the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, also participated. The event aimed to promote the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, established to support educational projects and sports access for children. The halftime show, complete with pyrotechnics, was produced by Global Citizen in collaboration with Live Nation and Done + Dusted, with artistic direction from Coldplay's Chris Martin. Other notable figures like Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, Rihanna, Timothée Chalamet, and Matt Damon were seen in the stands.

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The spectacle of halftime, a deeply rooted tradition in major U.S. sporting events, is a novelty for the World Cup.