The first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show, happening this summer during the July 19 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, boasts an A-list lineup including Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, Madonna, Shakira and BTS, and will be curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
Joining the pop and music megastars will be Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, a chorus from PS22 in New York, and popular Sesame Street characters such as Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. The show will be benefiting the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million towards educating children globally and offering access to soccer.
“This is an event that brings together the world. The World Cup brings the globe together. I’m really happy to be a part of the Global Citizen initiative, and I know the World Cup will bring fans together to create something positive,” Bieber said in a statement about the upcoming show.
In a show that will see Africa officially represented, Nigeria’s Burna Boy will also take the World Cup stage to collaborate on an anthem called “Dai Dai” with Shakira, which combines African sounds with Latin rhythms to celebrate the spirit of the sport globally.
Similar to how the Super Bowl features halftime performances, this event marks a big step for FIFA, whose finals usually feature pre-game entertainment instead.
