Money talks, and FIFA is listening. The 2026 World Cup has already been a bloated, chaotic affair of historic proportions. We saw the tournament expand to a staggering 48 teams. That ridiculous bloat gave us a round of 32 for the first time in history. It brought four debutants to the global stage, including a Cinderella run by Cape Verde. We even watched Cristiano Ronaldo finally score a goal in a knockout round. But soccer purists, brace yourselves. The suits in Zurich have officially imported the Super Bowl.
For the first time ever, the World Cup final will feature a massive, American-style halftime show. It is a blatant grab for casual eyeballs. Shakira, who already handled the opening ceremony in Mexico City and sang the official tournament track “Dai Dai” alongside Burna Boy, is back. This marks her fourth World Cup appearance and her first since 2014. She will share the stage with pop royalty Madonna and K-pop juggernauts BTS.
If that was not enough star power to choke a red carpet, FIFA just doubled down. On Wednesday, July 8, the governing body announced that Canadian pop star Justin Bieber is joining the lineup. Bieber is fresh off a stripped-down, surprisingly decent Coachella gig this spring. Now, he is taking his hits to the biggest sporting event on the planet.
They are cramming a lot of egos into a very tight window. The entire spectacle is scheduled to last exactly 11 minutes. To put that in perspective, your average NFL Super Bowl halftime show runs between 12 and 14 minutes. When Shakira and J-Lo tore up the stage in 2020, they got 14 minutes. FIFA is keeping a tighter leash on the clock.
The star-studded lineup does not stop with the headliners. Burna Boy will make an appearance, alongside classical conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the PS 22 Chorus, who will perform with Coldplay. It is a bizarre, expensive musical salad.
This 11-minute pop blitz will happen during the final match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, July 19. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET, which puts the projected halftime show at roughly 3:50 p.m. ET. You can watch the spectacle on FOX, or stream it via Fubo and the Fox One App. If you prefer Spanish commentary, Telemundo and Peacock have you covered. Tune in, or do not. The sponsors have already paid for it anyway.
