Madonna, Shakira, BTS to headline first World Cup Final halftime show

The world’s most popular game is taking a page from the biggest spectacle in U.S. sports, the Super Bowl.

For the first time, the FIFA World Cup will present a halftime show in the middle of its championship match.

On Thursday, May 14, FIFA announced music legends Madonna, Shakira and BTS will headline the show during the July 19 World Cup Final in New Jersey. Chris Martin, the singer of Coldplay, curated the show.

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Like the World Cup, the music stars represent an international blend. Madonna is American, while Shakira is from Colombia, and BTS is a South Korean boy-band sensation.

Show supports education

FIFA announced the show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising $100 million to help children access education and soccer.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said it would bring together “music and football on the biggest stage in sport for a very special cause,” per AP.

Shakira, a Latin pop star who has sold more than 95 million records, also performed the World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” with Nigerian singer Burna Boy. Madonna, the preeminent female pop star of the 1980s and ’90s, sold more than 200 million records. Since debuting in 2013, BTS has sold 500 million album-equivalent units worldwide.

Coldplay announced the lineup on X as well along with “Sesame Street” characters. According to Front Office Sports, the characters also will appear in the World Cup Final show.