The final's halftime show: who is performing

For the first time, a World Cup will have a Super Bowl-style halftime show. Madonna, Shakira, BTS and more will perform at the 19 July final.

The 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will not be historic only for what happens on the pitch. For the first time, a World Cup will feature a Super Bowl-style halftime show, and the line-up of artists is spectacular. If you are wondering who is performing at the 2026 World Cup final, here is everything we know about the big show in New Jersey.

A halftime show for the first time at a World Cup

FIFA has decided to borrow the NFL model and stage a halftime show of around 11 minutes at the interval of the final. It is a complete first: never before had a World Cup final included a musical performance in the middle of the match. The stage will be MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with around 82,500 spectators, on Sunday 19 July.

The final's line-up of artists

The halftime show will gather some of the biggest names in world music. Among the announced artists are Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, the Korean band BTS and Nigeria's Burna Boy, in a blend of pop, Latin, K-pop and afrobeats designed for a global audience of hundreds of millions. Coldplay are also among those involved in the artistic production of the event.

• Madonna
• Justin Bieber
• Shakira
• BTS
• Burna Boy
• Coldplay, involved in producing the show

Before the match: a closing ceremony

The spectacle will not be limited to the interval. Before kick-off there will be a tournament closing ceremony with appearances from Hollywood and music stars: among the names being mentioned are actor Tom Cruise and singer Robbie Williams. The staging aims to turn the final into a global event that goes far beyond the 90 minutes of football.

Football and showbusiness: the mark of a US World Cup

This mix of football and show is very American and fits a World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. On top of that, President Donald Trump is among the attendees and is expected to present the trophy to the champions. Like it or not, the 2026 final will mark a before and after in the way football's biggest match is presented.

Why FIFA has bet on spectacle

The decision is no accident. With the World Cup being played in the United States, FIFA wants to conquer a market where the Super Bowl is the biggest sporting and television event of the year. Copying its halftime-show format is a way to draw in viewers who may not follow football but do consume major events, and to turn the final into far more than a match: a mass-entertainment product built for television and social media.

A final for a global audience

A World Cup final is one of the most-watched events on the planet, with an audience measured in the hundreds of millions of people spread across the world. That is why the line-up mixes styles and origins: American pop, Latin music, Korean K-pop and African afrobeats, so that every corner of the globe can find someone to identify with. It is a statement of intent about what football-as-spectacle will look like in the years to come.

Purists may balk at so much fanfare around the ball, but the aim is clear: for the 2026 World Cup final to be remembered as much for the football as for the party that surrounds it.

How and where to watch the final and the show

The Spain v Argentina final and all its spectacle will be available on television across almost the entire world. In Spain, the match kicks off at 9:00 p.m., an ideal time to watch with friends or family, with the pre-match ceremony and the halftime show as an added bonus. Whatever the result, it will be one of those special football nights that fans remember and talk about for many years to come.

You are a star too: make your prediction

While the stars shine on stage, you can take the spotlight on your own sofa. On quiniPrats you can create a prediction league in a minute and compete with friends to call the result of the final. Free and pressure-free: the music sets the mood, but the match is yours to play with your group.