For the first time in 96 years, the World Cup final will have a halftime show — Super Bowl style. Three global icons, a surprise curator from Coldplay, the Muppets, and a detail that'll annoy English fans. Everything about the unprecedented spectacle of July 19, in 7 parts. #1 almost nobody noticed.
In 96 years of history, the World Cup has never had a halftime show. That changes on July 19, 2026, at the final, at MetLife Stadium, in New Jersey. For the first time, the halftime of the decider will stop for a Super Bowl-style spectacle.
And the names are top-tier: Madonna, Shakira, and BTS co-headline the stage. But the story behind the show has much more than three stars — it has a surprise curator, a $100 million cause, the Muppets, and even a controversy with British TV.
Let's go inside the unprecedented spectacle, in 7 parts, from smallest to biggest. And part #1 is the detail almost nobody noticed in the announcement.
#7 — The first ever: a historic first
Let's start with the historic fact. No World Cup final has ever had a halftime show. Previous finals had opening ceremonies (remember Diana Ross in 1994?), but halftime was always just… halftime.
The 2026 World Cup, hosted in the U.S., imported the Super Bowl's logic: turning the break into a spectacle televised to the world. It's another sign of how Americans are reshaping the tournament's presentation. And the lineup assembled to debut it is breathtaking.
The next part is the three icons who'll make history. 👇
#6 — The trio: Madonna, Shakira, and BTS
The headliners. Madonna, the queen of pop, no stranger to Super Bowl shows. Shakira, the "Queen of the World Cups," the only artist booked for both the opening and the final. And BTS, the global K-pop phenomenon, who draw legions of fans worldwide.
It's a combination designed to reach every audience: Western pop, Latin music, and Asian K-pop. Three cultural continents on one stage. But who's behind the lineup is the first surprise.
The next part is the curator nobody expected.
#5 — The surprise curator: Chris Martin, of Coldplay
Here's an unexpected name behind the scenes. The person curating the show isn't an anonymous producer — it's Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay. And the story has a touching origin: it was his idea.
According to the CEO of Global Citizen, back during the Qatar World Cup in 2022, Martin called saying: "wouldn't it be amazing to do a halftime show at the World Cup, this moment that unites all of humanity?" Four years later, the idea became reality. He announced the lineup alongside none other than Elmo, of Sesame Street. And there are rumors Martin himself may appear on stage.