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Superstars transform World Cup final into global show
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด Romania /Sports

Superstars transform World Cup final into global show

From Adevฤƒrul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth From a news agency Context piece
  • The FIFA World Cup final featured a halftime show inspired by the Super Bowl, with performances by global artists.
  • Performers included Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber, alongside football legends and Muppets characters.
  • Pre-match ceremonies also included performances by Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams, and Post Malone.

The FIFA World Cup final transformed into a global spectacle, not just on the field but also during its halftime show. For the first time in the tournament's history, FIFA organized a halftime performance inspired by the Super Bowl, bringing together international stars like Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber.

Music

โ€” MadonnaMadonna opened the halftime show with her hit song 'Music'.

The event took place at the MetLife Arena near New York City. The halftime show adopted a dynamic format, with each artist performing for a limited time. Madonna kicked off the show with her hit "Music," joined by Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. BTS energized the stadium with "Dynamite," while Justin Bieber offered an acoustic rendition of "Everything Hallelujah."

Dynamite

โ€” BTSBTS performed their song 'Dynamite' during the halftime show.

A highly anticipated moment was Shakira's performance of "Dai Dai," the official 2026 World Cup anthem, alongside Burna Boy. Shakira, already famous for her 2010 World Cup song "Waka Waka," delivered the anthem that was previously heard before all 104 tournament matches. The show also incorporated characters from "The Muppets" and "Sesame Street," as well as actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt portraying characters from the series "Ted Lasso."

Dai Dai

โ€” ShakiraShakira performed 'Dai Dai', the official 2026 World Cup anthem, with Burna Boy.

Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel led an orchestra featuring musicians from the New York Philharmonic and the Simรณn Bolรญvar Symphony Orchestra, performing "Seven Nation Army." The pre-match ceremony was equally star-studded, with Jennifer Hudson singing the U.S. anthem, Robbie Williams performing the official FIFA song "Desire," and Post Malone debuting a new song and performing "Sunflower." Actor Tom Cruise also appeared on stage for a speech.

Desire

โ€” Robbie WilliamsRobbie Williams performed the official FIFA song 'Desire' during the pre-match ceremony.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevฤƒrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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