School kids set to perform with Shakira at World Cup final halftime show rescued with last-minute lifeline

What the report says

Dailymail.com reported that Uganda’s Ghetto Kids dance troupe received free tickets to the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, allowing the young performers to watch the match after appearing in the tournament’s first halftime show. The group, whose members are aged four to 16, was scheduled to perform with Shakira during her rendition of “Dai Dai,” described by the outlet as the official FIFA anthem of the tournament.

According to the report, the tickets were given on Friday by MD Motivator on behalf of Marriott Bonvoy, the official sponsor of the halftime show, as part of the company’s “For Fans, Everywhere” campaign. Before the gift, the children would have had to leave the stadium immediately after their performance and miss the second half of the final between Argentina and Spain.

The Daily Mail said the final’s entertainment lineup also included Madonna, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy and Gustavo Dudamel for the halftime show, with a separate closing ceremony featuring names such as Post Malone, Tom Cruise, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. FIFA also enlisted Coldplay’s Chris Martin to help curate the production, and Coldplay was listed to perform with the PS22 Chorus.

The Ghetto Kids’ appearance marks a major stage for a troupe that began by posting dance videos from Kampala and later gained wider recognition through Eddy Kenzo’s “Sitya Loss” video and a 2023 appearance on Britain’s Got Talent. The report said the group has built large followings on Instagram and TikTok, underscoring its rise from viral dance clips to a global sports-event performance.