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2026 World Cup Halftime Show: Full List of Acts, How to Watch on TV, Live Stream

Musical artists from a wide range of genres—as well as some famous puppets—will be taking to the stage on July 19.
Pre and mid-game performances at soccer matches don’t always go down so well.
Pre and mid-game performances at soccer matches don’t always go down so well. | Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The first ever halftime show at a men’s World Cup final will be co-headlined by four different acts, FIFA have announced.

Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS form the quartet tasked with trying to hold everyone’s attention during the biggest sporting event of the year.

“As the world unites for the most significant football match in history on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at the New York New Jersey Stadium, this groundbreaking spectacle, curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, will celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino gushed in a press release.

Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS.
The World Cup halftime show will be lengthy affair. | Andrea Cardin/NHLI/Getty Images (Justin Bieber), Santiago Felipe/GC Images (Madonna), Ryan Pierse/FIFA/Getty Images (Shakira) and Christopher Polk/Dick Clark Productions/Getty Images (BTS).

While the pagentry of this sort of performance is fitting for the U.S. setting of the tournament, halftime shows are not always a popular occurrence at soccer games. Camila Cabello was infamously booed throughout her act in the 2022 Champions League final by Real Madrid and Liverpool fans, prompting a social media post calling out the “rude” supporters, which was subsequently deleted.

However, there is a charitable element to this extravagance. The halftime show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund in its bid to fund social projects which provide access to “quality education and football opportunities for children worldwide.” Already halfway towards the target of $100 million to raise, FIFA have pledged to funnel $1 for every ticket sold towards the cause.

“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,” Justin Bieber is quoted by FIFA as saying. “I’m grateful to be part of this halftime show, and even more grateful knowing it’s already helping expand access to education for children around the world.”


Other Acts Performing at 2026 World Cup Halftime Show

Burna Boy performing.
Burna Boy performed at the opening ceremony. | CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images

The World Cup will be bookended by Burna Boy. Shakira’s partner on the official tournament song “Dai Dai” performed alongside the Colombian star at the opening ceremony in Mexico City but has not been billed by FIFA as one of co-headliners for the final.

Undeterred by his perceived demotion, Burna Boy is quoted by FIFA as saying: “The FIFA World Cup is one of the few moments that truly brings the entire world together. To represent Africa on the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show is a privilege and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly.

“I’m honored to be part of a performance that not only celebrates football and culture but also helps create greater opportunities for children through education around the world.”

The Afrofusion artist will be joined in some capacity by Gustavo Dudamel, the famed conductor and music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as well as PS 22 Chorus, a viral sensation which is a choir of around 85 public school fourth and fifth graders from New York City. Coldplay have also managed to wangle their way into the chorus of schoolchildren.

Not content with just musical acts, characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets will also play a role. The thinking is that as the whole enterprise is theoretically a way to raise money for charities supporting the education of children, why not find room for the puppets who help teach kids on TV?


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How to Watch 2026 World Cup Halftime Show on TV, Live Stream

U.S. broadcaster Fox Sports will end its six-week long exclusive coverage of the World Cup with the final in New Jersey. Yet, whether the halftime show sees the light of day is another matter entirely. Fox was heavily criticized for missing the entirety of Shakira’s performance in the opening ceremony of the tournament.

For those in the U.S. looking for a Spanish language broadcast of the event, should it be captured by the cameras, Telemundo is the place to go.

After divvying up every other match this summer, both the BBC and ITV will be showing the World Cup final in the U.K.

Country

TV/Live Stream

United States

Fox Network, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, TeleXitos, Fox One

Mexico

TUDN, ViX Mexico

Canada

TSN+, TSN1, RDS, CTV, RDS App, CTV App, Noovo, Crave

United Kingdom

BBC, ITV, BBC iPlayer, ITVX


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Published | Modified
Grey Whitebloom
GREY WHITEBLOOM

Grey Whitebloom is an Associate Editor for SI FC. He has more than half a decade of experience in sports media across all its various guises, from the fast-paced demands of news articles and match reports to in-depth research required for features. Whitebloom graduated with a First Class Honours from University College London and found himself named on the Dean’s List—which, despite his initial fears, was a form of praise rather than a punishment. He specialises in the Premier League and Champions League, while also boasting an extensive track record of La Liga coverage.