Shakira, Madonna, BTS & more take over the World Cup halftime show

The most sacred moment in the sport—the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final—was transformed into an 11-and-a-half-minute pop fever dream during its halftime spectacle. Staged on Sunday, July 19, at the New York New Jersey Stadium, this first-ever championship celebration proved that when you drop the volume, expect a glorious, unhinged explosion of global entertainment.

The production moved with the logic of an endless playlist and the sheer energy of a caffeine rush. It was a tightly choreographed whirlwind that squeezed major musical acts, legendary soccer figures, world-class orchestras, beloved characters, and a spectacular display of fireworks into a blink-and-you-missed-it production that somehow felt absolutely gigantic.

The show made one clear choice: subtlety had no place. It was a masterclass in maximalism, where every second was designed to deliver an overload of sensory delight rather than quiet contemplation.

The spectacle kicked off with pure, gloriously extra flair. Madonna rolled onto the stage, accompanied by DJ Stuart Price, while Brazilian legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho appeared in a jeep sporting a license plate that read Maestro. This set the tone for the ensuing musical chaos.

From there, the energy surged. The performance lurched into a dramatic fusion of classical music and rock, as Gustavo Dudamel led players from the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela through a thrilling rendition of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”, complete with flags, strings, and even Muppets mixed in.

The momentum continued as BTS followed suit, matching the energy with motorcycle-inspired looks for a turbocharged performance of “Dynamite”. Following this, Jason Sudeikis slipped back into his familiar Ted Lasso mode, introducing a notably subdued Justin Bieber for an acoustic “Everything Hallelujah.”

The show reached its undeniable stadium-pop peak when Shakira and Burna Boy tore into the Billboard Global 200 chart-topper “Dai Dai”, backed by dancing Ghetto Kids. As the PS22 Chorus, Chris Martin, Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the cast culminated in a giant “LOVE” tableau with fireworks overhead, the entire experience felt deeply overstuffed, undeniably memorable, and wonderfully unhinged.