BTS, Madonna, Shakira and More: Who Are You Most Excited to See at the 2026 World Cup?

A halftime show for the ages

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is shaping up to be as much a music event as a sporting one. According to Billboard, Global Citizen confirmed on May 14 that BTS, Madonna, and Shakira will perform at the halftime show of the final match, scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The show will be curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay and will mark the first time the World Cup final has ever featured a halftime program. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had previously called it "a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world."

Opening ceremonies across the globe

The grand finale is only part of the picture. The tournament kicks off on June 11, and several major artists are lined up to headline opening ceremonies at venues around the world.

• Katy Perry and Future will perform at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12, ahead of the U.S. vs. Paraguay match.
• Michael Buble and Alanis Morissette will play in Toronto the same day, before Canada faces Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• LISA, Anitta, J Balvin, and Danny Ocean are also part of the broader opening ceremonies lineup.

A genuinely global bill

Few sporting events have ever assembled a musical roster this wide in scope, spanning K-pop, Latin pop, classic rock adjacents, and R&B. Whether the performances will live up to the occasion is another question entirely, but the ambition is hard to argue with.