World Cup final half-time show brings out Madonna, BTS and Shakira

The half-time interval of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final featured performances from Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and Shakira at the New York New Jersey Stadium, according to BBC Sport. Former players Ronaldo and Ronaldinho also made a special appearance during the break.

The show packed several globally recognised music acts into a single interval, with the stadium crowd entertained while the two finalists waited to resume the match. BBC Sport reported the lineup and the surprise appearance by the two Brazilian icons without detailing the running order or setlist.

What happened

The half-time entertainment was staged at the New York New Jersey Stadium, the venue for the tournament's deciding match. Alongside the musical performances, the appearance of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho added a football element to the interval programme, drawing a reaction from the stands.

• Madonna performed at half-time in the World Cup final
• BTS and Justin Bieber were also part of the half-time lineup
• Shakira, a long-standing fixture at World Cup events, appeared as well
• Ronaldo and Ronaldinho made a special appearance at the New York New Jersey Stadium

Why it matters

Half-time at a World Cup final is one of the few moments in the football calendar that reaches an audience far beyond regular match-going fans, and broadcasters increasingly treat the interval as a show in its own right. Pairing current music acts with former players is intended to hold a global television audience through the break.

For the tournament organisers, the segment also serves as a showcase for the host stadium and city on a night when attention is fixed on the final itself.

With the match and the tournament now complete, the focus shifts to how the World Cup's expanded format and its host venues are assessed, and whether large-scale half-time entertainment becomes a standard part of future finals.