FIFA Hosts Its First Halftime Show

The 2026 World Cup will feature the first-ever halftime show at a FIFA game. This event will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026. This halftime show isn’t just for entertainment; part of the profits will be donated to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an organization that supports education for kids in poor communities.

The FIFA Finals will break a tradition that has been followed for 96 years, since the initial World Cup. Musical acts have only been featured in the opening and closing ceremonies.

The halftime show will feature many famous pop stars. Some of those pop stars include Madonna, Shakira, and BTS. Along with those singers, characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets, like Elmo and Kermit the Frog, will be on stage as well. Madonna and Shakira both have experience with sports shows. Shakira performed in the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup, while Madonna headlined the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.

Alongside entertaining fans, FIFA is also raising money for charity. [better with the verb tense here!] Time Magazine says, “The initiative is ‘aiming to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and football [soccer] opportunities for children worldwide.’” Some countries don’t have enough money to support all of the communities in education. FIFA donates one dollar from each ticket bought throughout the 39-day tournament.

Some people don’t like the idea of having a halftime show. A typical halftime in FIFA is 15 minutes, which prevents players’ muscles from cooling or stiffening. The halftime show extended the break to 30 minutes. So, players will be given a little time to rewarm up before the second half of the game. However, some critics still worry that the extra-long break will affect players’ performances.

https://www.dogonews.com/2026/6/29/pop-icons-to-headline-first-ever-fifa-world-cup-halftime-show

https://time.com/article/2026/06/11/fifa-world-cup-final-halftime-show-performers-lineup-schedule-how-to-watch/