FIFA adds 11-minute global halftime show to World Cup final

FIFA will stage an 11-minute halftime show during the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, featuring Coldplay, Shakira, Justin Bieber, Madonna, BTS and a choir from Staten Island’s PS22 school. The concept originated from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who proposed the idea to Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans, and was later embraced by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a fan of the band.

The performance is part of a fundraising drive to collect $100 million for Global Citizen’s youth education initiatives, with FIFA contributing one dollar per tournament ticket and Shakira donating royalties from her World Cup anthem with Burna Boy.

Critics among soccer fans argue that a halftime spectacle mirrors the Super Bowl and could be seen as an effort to "Americanize" the tournament. Tiffany Naiman, director of UCLA’s Berry Gordy Music Industry Center, noted that while the format resembles American TV productions, the lineup includes artists from multiple countries, reflecting a global audience rather than a purely U.S. cultural import.

Producer Lee Rolontz explained that the show is divided into short "chapters," giving each act roughly 1 minute and 45 seconds, and that extensive measures are being taken to protect the pitch, including a protective covering and rapid-change staging equipment. The NFL’s field director Nick Pappas consulted on field-preservation techniques, drawing on experience from previous FIFA events in U.S. venues.

The halftime show also aims to engage international fan bases; BTS’s supporters have already raised about $40,000 for the Global Citizen fund. Market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket have seen trading activity related to potential setlists, indicating public interest in the event’s musical content.