From Madonna to BTS: How the World Cup’s first halftime show unfolded

The show, held during the July 19 final, marked a major departure from World Cup tradition. Inspired by the scale of the Super Bowl, the show was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and produced in partnership with Global Citizen.

Madonna became the first artist to perform during a World Cup final halftime show. Brazilian football legends Ronaldo Nazário and Ronaldinho escorted the pop icon onto the field before she opened the spectacle with her 2000 hit “Music.”

The performance then shifted to an orchestral rendition of The White Stripes’ stadium anthem “Seven Nation Army,” led by Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Around 40 musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra appeared on the field alongside Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, the house band from The Muppets.

The number also featured a recreation of Norway’s viral “Viking row” celebration, in which players sit in a line and imitate rowing a boat.

After the Viking-themed sequence, South Korean supergroup BTS took over the pitch in coordinated red-and-black outfits to perform their global hit “Dynamite.”

The pace briefly slowed when Justin Bieber appeared with only a guitar. Introduced by Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, who appeared in character, the Canadian singer performed an acoustic version of “Everything Hallelujah.”

Sixteen years after Shakira’s “Waka Waka” became inseparable from the 2010 World Cup, the Colombian star joined Nigerian singer Burna Boy and Uganda’s Triplets Ghetto Kids to perform “Dai Dai,” the official song of the 2026 tournament.

For the finale, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the PS22 children’s chorus and other performers gathered on the field as the word “LOVE,” with a globe in place of the letter O, filled the center of the pitch.

The stands proved almost as star-studded as the stage. Among those watching the final were Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Dua Lipa and Callum Turner, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, as well as Victoria and David Beckham.

Hollywood was represented by Matt Damon, Anya Taylor-Joy, Julia Garner, Javier Bardem, Adrien Brody and Will Ferrell. Mick Jagger, Pharrell Williams, Kevin Hart, Trevor Noah and Serena Williams were also spotted in the crowd, along with sports stars Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Lindsey Vonn and several NBA players.

Timothée Chalamet was given a special role in the ceremony, carrying the official match ball onto the pitch before kick-off.

Tom Cruise addressed the stadium during the pre-match program, while Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Laura Pausini and Post Malone were among the artists who took part in the pre-match festivities.

Among those seated in the presidential box were US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, as well as Spain’s King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía.

Although the musical performance lasted approximately 11 minutes, the entire halftime interval ran to 27 minutes and 22 seconds, making it the longest in World Cup history.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that FIFA had released an official 18-track album ahead of the 2026 World Cup.