Madonna, Shakira and BTS to Headline Historic World Cup Final Half-Time Show

BBC – Madonna, Shakira and K-pop sensation BTS will co-headline the first-ever Super Bowl-style half-time show at this summer’s FIFA World Cup final.The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will conclude with the final in New Jersey on July 19.

While pre-match entertainment has become common at major football events such as the UEFA Champions League Final, this will mark the first official half-time performance in World Cup final history.

Colombian superstar Shakira is also set to release the tournament’s official anthem, Dai Dai, on Thursday.

The title comes from an Italian phrase meaning “let’s go” or “come on,” and the track features Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy.

The 49-year-old singer previously delivered the iconic 2010 World Cup anthem Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) during the tournament in South Africa.Known as the “Queen of Pop,” Madonna remains the best-selling female music artist of all time.

The 67-year-old is preparing to release her 15th studio album, Confessions II, on July 3.

Earlier this year, she surprised fans with a guest appearance during Sabrina Carpenter’s headline performance at the Coachella festival, where the pair performed Vogue and Like A Prayer together.

Meanwhile, BTS remain the best-selling act in South Korean music history, having sold more than 45 million albums worldwide.

The group previously teamed up with Coldplay on the 2021 hit My Universe, which reached number three on the UK charts.

The seven-member group has recently resumed activities after a three-year hiatus caused by mandatory military service commitments. They are currently in the middle of an 85-date world tour ahead of their World Cup final performance.

In March, Gianni Infantino described the planned spectacle as “a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup, befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”

The half-time show is being curated by Chris Martin and aims to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative seeking to raise $100 million to improve education opportunities for children around the world.