According to Billboard, for the first time in World Cup history, a halftime show will take place, expected to last about 11 minutes.
The show is orchestrated by Chris Martin, a member of Coldplay, with the goal of raising funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. This fund aims to raise 100 million USD to expand access to education and football for children globally. Currently, the fund has accumulated over 30 million USD, including one USD from each World Cup ticket sold.
Both Madonna and Shakira have previously performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, a flagship American football event. Jungkook, a member of BTS, also energized the World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar in 2022.
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Shakira in the World Cup anthem music video "Dai Dai", released on 14/5. *Photo: Facebook Shakira* |
In addition to her performance, Shakira released the official World Cup song, "Dai Dai", in collaboration with Burna Boy. This marks her second official World Cup song, following "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" in 2010. Shakira will also kick off her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour 2026 in June, with shows in New Jersey and New York coinciding with the World Cup final.
Madonna also has a busy schedule in July, as her album "Confessions II" (a sequel to 2005's "Confessions on a Dance Floor") is set for release on 3/7. She has already released the singles "Bring Your Love" (featuring Sabrina Carpenter) and "I Feel So Free".
BTS marked a major comeback on 20/3 with their 6th studio album, "ARIRANG", their first project since members completed military service. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and held that position for three consecutive weeks. Last month, they kicked off their ARIRANG World Tour in Goyang, South Korea, and began touring in the US on 25/4. FIFA also previously announced a star-studded lineup for the World Cup 2026 opening ceremony, featuring Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, LISA, and Anitta.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place in June and July across the US, Canada, and Mexico. This edition marks the first World Cup in history to feature 48 teams, a significant increase from the previous 32, with a total of 104 matches projected. The tournament will be hosted in approximately 16 cities, predominantly located in the US. While this expansion offers more teams a chance to participate, it has also sparked debate regarding the quality of play and the logistical challenges of extensive travel due to large geographical distances.
Thanh Thanh (according to Billboard)
