BTS to Perform at 2026 World Cup Final, One Stage with Madonna and Shakira

BTS will perform at the 2026 World Cup final halftime show. Citing a Yonhap report, Friday, May 15, the South Korean K-pop group will take the stage with Madonna and Shakira at the MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, on July 19.

According to FIFA and Global Citizen, BTS is one of the main performers at the Super Bowl-style event. This is the first time that the World Cup final has a halftime show.

Organizers want to make the World Cup final a stage that brings together sports, music, and culture for a global audience.

"It is a great honor for us to stand on a meaningful stage like this, where the world gathers," BTS said in a statement released by BigHit Music.

BTS said music is a universal language that brings hope and unity.

The show will be produced by Global Citizen, an international civil society organization based in New York. The event is also expected to help raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

The funds are intended to expand access to education and sports for children in underserved communities.

The 2026 World Cup final halftime show will be broadcast live around the world. Coldplay vocalist Chris Martin will help direct the show's concept. Characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets are also scheduled to appear.

BTS previously collaborated with Global Citizen in Global Citizen Live in 2021. Jungkook also performed at the Global Citizen Festival in 2023.

Jungkook's name has already been associated with the World Cup. He performed "Dreamers", the official theme song of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, at the opening ceremony of the tournament.

Meanwhile, BTS is also scheduled to hold a concert at Stanford Stadium, California, on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday US time. They will be the first Korean artist to perform at the stadium.