FIFA World Cup Halftime Show Breakdown And Easter Eggs

What the report says

Forbes reported that the 2026 FIFA World Cup final featured the tournament’s first-ever halftime show, staged July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford during the Spain-Argentina final. The show was curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin in partnership with Global Citizen and packed multiple global pop and entertainment figures into an 11-minute production. Forbes said the event was tied to a goal of raising $100 million to support youth access to education and football worldwide.

The performance opened with Madonna, who appeared with Brazilian football greats Ronaldo Nazário and Ronaldinho Gaúcho and wore a custom FIFA jacket marked with the number 10. Forbes also highlighted a segment featuring The Muppets’ Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, set around the familiar stadium chant of “Seven Nation Army.”

BTS performed “Dynamite” in custom FIFA jerseys, with Forbes noting the song’s history as a chart-topping global hit. A comedy transition then brought in Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt as Ted Lasso and Coach Beard, who introduced Justin Bieber for an acoustic version of “EVERYTHING HALLELUJAH.” Shakira and Burna Boy followed with “Dai Dai,” described by Forbes as the official 2026 World Cup song, joined by dancers connected to a social media dance challenge.

The finale centered on a message of unity, using archival video of Pelé’s 1977 “Love” remarks before the PS22 Chorus performed Coldplay’s unreleased “We Believe.” Forbes framed the production as a milestone in how FIFA is expanding the entertainment spectacle around its biggest match.