BTS to headline halftime show at 2026 World Cup final

BTS, seen here at their comeback concert in Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, will perform at the halftime show of the 2026 World Cup final, organizers said Thursday. File Photo by Yonhap

K-pop supergroup BTS will perform at the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, organizers said Thursday, along with global pop icons Madonna and Shakira.

The South Korean group will co-headline the Super Bowl-style halftime show at the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, according to FIFA and Global Citizen, a New York-based international civic group.

It marks the first time that a halftime show will be staged during a World Cup final. The initiative aims to create a unifying moment for worldwide audiences by bringing together sports, music and culture on a global stage, they said.

"It will be a great honor to stand on such a meaningful stage where the world comes together," BTS said in a statement released by its agency, BigHit Music. "We believe music is a universal language that delivers hope and unity."

Global Citizen will produce the show, which is expected to help boost global awareness and fundraising for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aimed at expanding education and sports access for children in underserved communities.

The performance will be broadcast live worldwide and curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets are also set to appear.

BTS has previously collaborated with Global Citizen, performing at Global Citizen Live in 2021, while member Jungkook appeared at the Global Citizen Festival in 2023. He also performed "Dreamers," the official soundtrack of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, at the tournament's opening ceremony.

Meanwhile, the seven-member group will hold concerts at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California, on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday (U.S. time), becoming the first Korean act to hit the venue.

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