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As we edge closer to June, we draw nearer to yet another World Cup marred by controversy. The 2022 competition drew criticism for its host Qatar’s alleged use of slave labour in constructing their stadiums, as well as the event being rescheduled to winter dates. This year’s tournament, which kicks off on the 11th of June, is hosted jointly in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Since Donald Trump’s re-election in 2025, the US has grappled with political assassinations, violence on the streets involving the nation’s immigration authority (ICE), and the ongoing conflict with Iran which has created a global oil crisis. These factors, ­coupled­ with Trump’s tariff-posturing with allied nations, anecdotes of foreign nationals being deported for social media posts, and grossly inflated ticket prices for the World Cup games, have led to many fans in the UK and abroad to approach travelling to the US this summer with apprehension.

But as the biggest television spectacle in sport, the World Cup Final routinely draws several billion viewers from all around the globe, and this year’s final is advertised by organisers FIFA as the biggest ever. In 2024, the association announced a final halftime show, inspired by American Football and the NFL’s Superbowl entertainment. While this choice was met with sceptic cries that it would contaminate football’s traditions with American commercialisation, the plans continued with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin heading up the selection process.

FIFA announced the lineup for the halftime extravaganza today with a light-hearted trailer starring Chris Martin, Sesame Street characters Elmo and the Cookie Monster, and several stars from The Muppets including Kermit and Miss Piggy. The ensemble of one of the UK’s most popular singers and the US’s most famous puppets revealed a billing of pop queen Madonna, K-Pop sensations BTS, and Latin songstress Shakira. President of FIFA Gianni Infantino was quoted in the announcement as saying “Madonna, Shakira and BTS are global icons whose music transcends borders and generations, and we are proud to welcome them to the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay.”

The halftime show will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, their initiative whose goal for the event is to raise $100 million for sponsoring education and football opportunities for the world’s children. Madonna, who has a vast history of philanthropic work, said “Performing at the World Cup final in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is deeply meaningful to me. Without education, children are denied opportunity before they even have a chance. Every child deserves access to a quality learning — because education expands possibilities and creates lasting change.” Remarks also came from Shakira, who is a board member of the Global Citizen Education Fund and previously had a hit with 2010 World Cup single ‘Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)’. She says “I’ve spent my life doing two things — making songs and building schools. At the FIFA World Cup, those two paths come together. Standing alongside Madonna and BTS, I’ll be performing ‘Dai Dai’, the song I created for this World Cup and for the kids around the world we will reach with the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. My hope is that on the world’s biggest stage, the importance of investing in children’s education steals the show!”

The FIFA World Cup Halftime Show has been produced by Global Citizen, with partners Live Nation and Done + Dusted. You can catch Madonna, BTS, Shakira, and the stars of Sesame Street and The Muppets on the 19th of July, when the final airs from the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.