Afrobeats star Burna Boy, alongside Shakira, Madonna and other global stars thrilled fans at the inaugural FIFA World Cup final halftime show on Sunday delivering unforgettable performances.
The historic 12-minute show took place during the final on Sunday July, 19th 2026 at the New York New Jersey Stadium .
The show also paid tribute to Brazilian football icon Pelé, with archival footage from his farewell appearance at the former Giants Stadium in New Jersey shown on the stadium’s giant screens
The show began with a dramatic performance by Madonna. After that, BTS took the stage, performing a football-themed rendition of their global hit Dynamite.
Then actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, best known for the television series Ted Lasso, made a surprise appearance to introduce Justin Bieber.
The Canadian singer performed a World Cup version of Everything Hallelujah, finishing his set by saying, “It’s World Cup, hallelujah”.
Next, Burna Boy and Shakira performed their song Dia Dia together they were joined by Uganda’s Ghetto Kids dancers all in bright yellow costumes
Coldplay and the PS22 Chorus closed the performance alongside characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets, reinforcing the show’s message of unity, hope and equal opportunities for children.
The performance, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin in partnership with Global Citizen, formed part of an extended 27-minute halftime interval.
It was produced by Live Nation and Done + Dusted and directed by veteran live-event producer Hamish Hamilton, the show blended music, football and philanthropy on the sport’s biggest stage.
The halftime show was organised in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children around the world.
Before Sunday’s final, the initiative had raised more than $60 million through ticket contributions, corporate support and private donations, with FIFA announcing grants for 58 organisations expected to reach about 400,000 children worldwide
