A Super Bowl-style first for the World Cup
The 2026 World Cup final will feature something football has never seen before: a full halftime show during the sport’s biggest match.
According to FIFA’s official announcement, Justin Bieber has been added as a co-headliner for the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, which will take place on 19 July at New York New Jersey Stadium.
The Canadian pop star joins Madonna, Shakira and BTS as the headline names for the 11-minute performance, which will be curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
The move marks a major shift in how FIFA presents its biggest event. While the World Cup final has traditionally been centred almost entirely on the match itself, this year’s edition will include a music spectacle more commonly associated with the Super Bowl.
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Bieber joins global lineup
Bieber said the scale and purpose of the event made it special.
“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,” Bieber said. “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.”
The performance is tied to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aiming to raise money for children’s access to education and football opportunities around the world.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also linked the show to that broader purpose.
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“When it comes to what the world needs, there is nothing more important than education,” Infantino said.
He added that Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS would help support “our mission to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children around the world.”
Burna Boy also set to perform
Burna Boy will also appear during the halftime show, though FIFA’s wording places him among the additional performers rather than the main co-headliners.
The Nigerian star has a clear connection to this World Cup. He appears with Shakira on “Dai Dai”, one of the tournament’s major musical releases.
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Reported by The Associated Press, Burna Boy described the chance to represent Africa during the first World Cup final halftime show as both a privilege and a responsibility.
“The FIFA World Cup is one of the few moments that truly brings the entire world together,” Burna Boy said. “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.”
FIFA has also confirmed that Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay, and characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets will be part of the show.
Football enters a new entertainment era
The decision is likely to divide opinion.
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For FIFA, the halftime show is a chance to turn the final into an even larger global entertainment event. For traditionalists, it may feel like another step towards making football look more like American sport.
Either way, the scale is clear.
Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber and Burna Boy bring together different generations, continents and fanbases. With the final already expected to attract one of the biggest audiences in world sport, FIFA is betting that music can make the night feel even larger.
The match will still decide the world champion.
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But for the first time, the World Cup final will also have a halftime show built to become part of the spectacle.
