In New York City on May 14, 2026, notable figures like former soccer player Kaka, Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans, Colombian singer Shakira, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino came together for an announcement. The news heralded a groundbreaking halftime show at the World Cup final, marking the first time such an entertainment segment would be included.
This halftime show promises a celebration featuring celebrities from six continents to honor the game of soccer. Scheduled for approximately 3:45 PM ET, the show will be available on Fox and Fox One in the U.S., with Spanish broadcasts on Telemundo and streaming on the Fox Sports app and Peacock. The performance, expected to last about 11 minutes, has been curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay.
The lineup boasts global appeal, including artists like Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, Burna Boy, BTS, and Coldplay. Notably, Shakira, considered the World Cup queen, and Burna Boy are part of the festivities. Other notable mentions include the Muppets Kermit and Miss Piggy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel alongside musicians from the New York Philharmonic and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, the Ghetto Kids dance troupe from Kampala, Uganda, singer Emmanuel Kelly, and the PS22 Chorus from Staten Island.
FIFA highlights the show’s charitable aspect, intending to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The goal is to raise $100 million to enhance education and soccer access for children globally, with $1 from each ticket sold contributing to this initiative. Despite FIFA’s efforts, ticket prices for the final game began at nearly $3,000, soaring higher over time.
Soccer, widely recognized as the most popular sport globally, enjoys participation from over 240 million registered players and billions of fans, according to the Library of Congress. FIFA’s 2026 World Cup viewership reached unprecedented levels, recording 20 billion video views worldwide even before the quarter-finals. Comparatively, the previous Super Bowl drew around 125.6 million viewers.
Soccer’s popularity is rising in the U.S., with a survey by The Economist ranking it third among favorite American sports, surpassing baseball. FIFA seems to adapt strategies akin to those of the NFL by offering attractive halftime entertainment to maintain audience engagement.