New York New Jersey Stadium hosts World Cup final halftime show with global artists

By Arjun Nair / 20.07.2026

By Arjun Nair — 19 July 2026 — 4 min read

World Cup Final Halftime Show Features Global Stars

The FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show made its debut in the tournament’s history, featuring a lineup of international artists at the New York New Jersey Stadium. This event marked the first time a World Cup has included a halftime show in its 96-year history. The performance was curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and produced in collaboration with Global Citizen, extending the usual 15-minute halftime break to 30 minutes.

Among the performers were BTS, Shakira, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, The Muppets’ Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the New York Philharmonic, Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, and PS22. The show aimed to bring together diverse musical talents for the championship match between Spain and Argentina.

BTS Delivers Energetic Performance

BTS, fresh from the European leg of their World Tour ARIRANG, performed their hit song “Dynamite” for approximately 1 minute and 45 seconds. The group, consisting of RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, wore custom ARIRANG-red World Cup outfits that displayed their names and the number 7, representing their seven members. Despite having arrived from Paris the night before, the group delivered an energetic performance in 28°C and humid weather.

“Dynamite” was a significant choice for BTS, as it was their first song to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart and held an all-time record for the most weeks at No. 1 on sales charts. It also earned the group their first Grammy nomination in 2020. During their performance, over two dozen dancers accompanied them, and screens displayed the lyrics, encouraging crowd participation. Following PS22’s performance, BTS joined the other artists on the field, dancing to an unreleased Coldplay track.

BTS has a history with football events, including a collaboration with Hyundai in 2022 for the “Goal of the Century” campaign song for the Qatar World Cup. Jung Kook also became the first South Korean artist to perform at World Cup events, singing the official track “Dreamers” at the 2022 World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar. The group is scheduled to perform the North American leg of their World Tour ARIRANG at the same stadium, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, on August 1 and 2.

Closing Ceremony Features Tom Cruise and Musical Acts

The World Cup closing ceremony, held before the final match, began with a pre-match concert. The initial segment, designed for television, featured a drumline and break dancers around a circular stage shaped like a football, with models of New York landmarks rising around it. Despite pyrotechnics and efforts to create visual impact, wide shots revealed empty seating as supporters continued to enter the stadium, and tighter angles sometimes left performers appearing isolated.

American streamer IShowSpeed provided a notable burst of energy, performing “World Cup (Champions)” and interacting with a golden football. Other performers included Post Malone, who performed “Chrome Heartbreaker,” and Swae Lee, who sang “Sunflower.” The performances, like many large stadium shows, appeared to use pre-recorded vocal tracks, with little change in sound when microphones were moved away from performers’ mouths. IShowSpeed’s genuine enthusiasm for the tournament was evident throughout his performance and his engagement with fans.

The ceremony gained momentum after Jennifer Hudson performed the US national anthem to a full crowd. Following this, Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, and Nicole Scherzinger performed the Fifa anthem, “Desire.” They were accompanied by men carrying Fifa flags and flags of the 48 participating nations, which were waved in time with the music. The stadium, now full, cheered as fireworks lit the sky.

Tom Cruise then appeared alone on the pitch, addressing the crowd. He spoke about the tournament’s journey from 48 nations to the finalists, Spain and Argentina, pronouncing their names in Spanish. Cruise emphasized football as a universal language that unites people and turns strangers into friends, concluding by asking the crowd to celebrate the tournament that brought the world together.

The closing ceremony’s later stages, particularly Cruise’s speech, provided a clearer sense of occasion, building on the energy that IShowSpeed had brought earlier in the event.

Source: forbes.com