A star-studded halftime show is set to take place during the World Cup Final, featuring Madonna, Shakira, and the boy band BTS as the main attractions.
FIFA has announced that, for the very first time—at the final scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey—a concert or musical performance modeled after the Super Bowl will be incorporated into the event.
The sport’s global governing body stated that this show will support the ‘FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund’; this fund aims to raise $100 million to provide children with opportunities for education and access to football.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino remarked that this initiative “will bring together music and football for a very special, noble cause on the biggest stage in the sporting world.”
“Every child deserves the chance to dream, and together, we can help turn those dreams into reality,” he wrote on Instagram.
Chris Martin of the band Coldplay will be responsible for the overall curation and supervision of the show.
The Super Bowl is renowned worldwide for its halftime show, where some of the world’s biggest stars gather to deliver spectacular performances. This year, the Puerto Rican artist ‘Bad Bunny’ served as the headline act for the show.
Previously, stars such as Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, and Rihanna have graced the stage as the main attractions of this show.
However, the tradition of halftime shows is not particularly common in the world of football; major events like the Champions League Final typically feature pre-match concerts held just before kickoff. The band ‘The Killers’ will perform as the main attraction at European club football’s biggest showdown—the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal—to be held in Budapest on May 30.
It is not yet known exactly how long the halftime show will last; however, according to football regulations, the halftime interval typically should not exceed 15 minutes.
FIFA has described this event as follows: “A unique moment created at the magnificent intersection of sport, culture, and a noble cause—one that will be broadcast live across the globe.”
This World Cup is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico; the tournament will run throughout the months of June and July.
