Who will headline the World Cup’s first-ever halftime show?

TL;DR

The first-ever World Cup halftime show will feature K-pop group BTS, Shakira, and Madonna. The announcement was made by Global Citizen with Chris Martin explaining the concept of a halftime show.

Key points

First-ever World Cup halftime show announced
Performers include BTS, Shakira, and Madonna
Chris Martin explains halftime show concept

Mentioned in this story

Global CitizenChris MartinShakiraMadonna

BTS

South Korean singer Jung Kook, center, from the K-pop band BTS performs solo on ABC's "Good Morning America" at Rumsey Playfield/SummerStage on Friday, July 14, 2023, in New York. | Evan Agostini

In the first-ever World Cup halftime show, USA Today reported that K-pop supergroup BTS, Shakira and Madonna will be featured in the World Cup Final Match. Nonprofit Global Citizen made the announcement Thursday in an Instagram post, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin explaining to Elmo and the rest of Sesame Street what a halftime show is.

In the video, Martin tells Elmo a halftime show is where “people get together, and there’s singing, there’s dancing, there’s music and there’s a chance to show how amazing all different kinds of humans are.”

What is the halftime for?

Martin, who helped Global Citizen with the first-ever halftime show for the FIFA Club World Cup final in 2025, explained to Elmo that the show would go toward raising funds for children education.

The funds will go to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which seeks to expand access to education and soccer for children around the world. The organization has the goal of raising $100 million for children around the world by the 2026 World Cup Final.