What is the story about?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 final got a blockbuster touch with a Super Bowl-style halftime event that took place between a thrilling match. The closing ceremony
was held on July 19 at the New York-New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium). Global music icons, like Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus, took centre stage to add some electrifying energy to the nail-biting finale match. As all eyes were on the global icons, the spectators got a chance to witness the best of both worlds – entertainment and sports.
Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber make FIFA World Cup Final Half-Time Show memorable
During the FIFA World Cup Half-Time Show, Madonna brought Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho Gaúcho together for a quick dance with her. Only she could have managed to pull this off.
Shakira performed at the FIFA World Cup Half-Time Show between Spain and Argentina. She was joined by Burna Boy, singing Dai Dai.
Justin Bieber walked onto the field with an acoustic guitar, singing the solo rendition of Everything Hallelujah, from his Swag II album.
Jennifer Hudson kicked off the ceremony with her rendition of the U.S. National Anthem.
What is FIFA World Cup Half-Time Show?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 final and the halftime show streamed live on JioHotstar, while the match was telecast on Sports18. Spain and Argentina are competing for the World Cup 2026 at the New York-New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.
According to FIFA’s official website, “World Cup winners in 2010, Spain are appearing in their second Final, while Argentina are looking to lift the Trophy for a fourth time following triumphs in 1978, 1986 and 2022 - also appearing in the 1930, 1990 and 2014 Finals.”
The live musical performance of the FIFA final halftime show was 11 minutes. However, according to early reports, the total halftime interval was expected to be stretched to approximately 30 to 45 minutes to accommodate the setup, logistics, and standard broadcasting analysis, from the usual 15-minute period.
The FIFA World Cup Half-Time Show was produced in partnership with Global Citizen to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which works to increase access to education and football opportunities for children across the world.
FIFA World Cup 2026 winner
The winner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be announced later in the night in India. The TV telecast rights were with the Sports18 Network in India. ZEE5 was also streaming the show live.
