Madonna, Shakira and BTS to headline FIFA World Cup final halftime show

By AI, Created 4:38 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Global Citizen and FIFA said Madonna, Shakira and BTS will co-headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show on July 19, 2026, in New York New Jersey Stadium. The show is tied to a campaign to raise $100 million for children’s education and football access worldwide.

Why it matters: - FIFA is turning its final into a global entertainment event for the first time, giving the match an added cultural spotlight. - The halftime show is designed to raise money for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to expand access to quality education and football for children worldwide. - Global Citizen and FIFA said the show will also be broadcast live around the world, raising its potential reach well beyond the stadium.

What happened: - Global Citizen and FIFA announced that Madonna, Shakira and BTS will co-headline the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final Halftime Show. - The performance is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium. - FIFA said this will be the first halftime show in FIFA World Cup history. - The show is being curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay.

The details: - The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is trying to raise $100 million to support education and football access for children. - The fund has already raised more than $30 million. - FIFA said $1 from every ticket sold to FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches will be donated during the tournament. - The halftime show will include Muppets from Sesame Street, along with Kermit, Miss Piggy and other characters from The Muppets, part of The Walt Disney Company. - The show is produced by Global Citizen with Live Nation and Done + Dusted. - Chris Martin unveiled the lineup in a short film and described the show as “all about togetherness… and everyone’s invited.” - Earlier this week, FIFA and Global Citizen announced the first group of organizations receiving grants from the education fund. - The grants will support education and football access for children in underserved communities in 10 countries. - Applications are now open for the second cycle of grants. - More information on the grant recipients is available in the fund’s grant announcement. - More details on applications are available at the grant application page. - The fund’s advisory board includes Hugh Jackman, The Weeknd, Ivanka Trump, Gianni Infantino, Hugh Evans, Serena Williams, Shakira, Kaká and Bank of America co-president Jim DeMare. - Global Citizen said about 350 million children and adolescents are out of school globally. - Global Citizen said about 133 million of those children do not meet minimum reading and math proficiency by the end of primary school. - More information on the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is available at the fund page.

Between the lines: - The lineup pairs three massive pop acts with a sports property that reaches billions, signaling a push to make the World Cup final halftime show an event in its own right. - The education fund gives the announcement a philanthropic hook that extends the reach of the event beyond music and football. - The inclusion of Sesame Street and Muppets characters reinforces the child-focused message and broadens the show’s appeal.

What’s next: - The World Cup final halftime show is set for July 19, 2026, in New York New Jersey Stadium. - FIFA and Global Citizen will continue raising money for the education fund through ticket donations and grantmaking. - Global Citizen said it expects the effort to create long-term impact for children if funding momentum continues.

The bottom line: - FIFA is using its first-ever World Cup final halftime show to fuse star power, global TV reach and a fundraising campaign for children’s education.