The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final is bringing more than soccer’s biggest match between Spain vs. Argentina to MetLife Stadium (New York New Jersey Stadium) today. For the first time in World Cup history, the Final will feature a halftime show — á la the Super Bowl — with some of the biggest artists in the world confirmed to be taking the stage, and some special guests likely to appear as well.
Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber are headline the historic performance, with several more artists and special guests set to join them in the abbreviated performance. Halftime will be extended to 17 minutes (extended from 15) to accommodate the show.
Here’s everything you need to know about who is confirmed to perform at the World Cup Halftime show, including expected start time, show length, and how to make predictions on PrizePicks Culture Picks.
Make real-money picks on who will perform at the World Cup Halftime Show on PrizePicks now!
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Who Is Performing at the 2026 World Cup Halftime Show?
Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber are the confirmed co-headliners for the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show.
The complete announced lineup includes:
- Madonna
- Shakira
- BTS
- Justin Bieber
- Burna Boy
- Gustavo Dudamel
- PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay
- Triplets Ghetto Kids
The Muppets and characters from Sesame Street are also expected to make special appearances during the production. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated the halftime show, while Global Citizen is producing the event.
Who Else Could Perform at the World Cup Halftime Show? Possible Surprise Guests
PrizePicks has a Who Will Perform at the World Cup Halftime Show market where fans can predict whether additional guest artists will appear beyond the announced lineup.
Sabrina Carpenter is currently the favorite to perform at 4x payout on yes, followed by Post Malone at 5.26x and Swae Lee at 6.25x.
Predict what guests will perform at the World Cup Halftime Show here!
Carpenter has picked up the most speculation leading into the Final, although the buzz appears to be driven more by prediction-market movement than confirmed reporting.
Post Malone and Swae Lee already performed during the pre-match closing ceremony, making a second appearance at halftime more plausible.
KAROL G, J Balvin, Bad Bunny, and ROSALÍA fit the international and Latin-music direction of the show, while Drake would add another major Canadian artist alongside Justin Bieber. Trippie Redd is also listed at 10x Yes, but there has been little credible reporting connecting him to the event. None of the artists below has been officially announced for the halftime show.
All World Cup halftime show payouts listed above indicate real-money earnings when a prediction is correct. For example, a 2x payout on a $100 entry pays $200 on PrizePicks Team Picks. The lower the payout multiplier, the higher the chance of that outcome occurring based on user picks. Payouts are live as of writing but are subject to change.
Is BTS Performing at the World Cup Halftime Show?
Yes. K-pop boy band BTS is one of the four confirmed co-headliners for the 2026 World Cup Final halftime show.
The appearance brings the group to one of the largest global television audiences in sports and adds K-pop representation to a lineup spanning English-, Spanish-, and Korean-language music.
“Dynamite” is heavily favored to be their first BTS song performed, with a 1.35x payout, according to PrizePicks, with “Hooligan” a distant second (6.25x payout).
Is Shakira Performing at the 2026 World Cup Final?
Yes. Shakira will co-headline the World Cup Final halftime show alongside Madonna, BTS, and Justin Bieber.
Shakira has a long history with the tournament. She previously performed official World Cup songs and ceremonies, most notably “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” for the 2010 World Cup official song.
“Dai Dai” is heavily favored to be her first song performed, with a 1.19x payout, with “Hips Don’t Lie” coming in at second, with a 11.11x payout.
Is Justin Bieber Performing at the World Cup Halftime Show?
Yes. FIFA and Global Citizen added Justin Bieber to the lineup as a fourth co-headliner on July 8, 2026. He was the latest to join the previously announced trio of Madonna, Shakira, and BTS.
According to PrizePicks, “Despacito” (2.94x payout) and “Yukon” (3.22x payout) are most likely to be his first song performed.
Make World Cup Halftime Show predictions on PrizePicks now!
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What Time Is the World Cup Final Halftime Show?
The World Cup Final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19, 2026, though pre-game festivities could slightly delay the start of the game. First-half stoppage time tends to add four-to-five minutes during this World Cup.
The halftime performance could begin as early as 3:50 p.m. ET, although the exact start time will depend on stoppage time during the first half and the actual start time of the game. Expect it to start by 4:00 p.m. ET at the latest; more accurately, about 50 minutes after the kick-off.
Unlike a scheduled concert, the halftime show cannot begin until the opening 45 minutes of the match have been completed.
How Long Is the World Cup Halftime Show?
The Halftime Show musical performance is expected to last approximately 11 minutes.
The entire halftime break could last between 20 and 30 minutes once stage construction, removal, player warmups, and other match preparations are included. Reportedly, the World Cup Final halftime will only last 17 minutes.
A standard World Cup match halftime normally lasts 15 minutes.
Is this the First World Cup Halftime Show?
Yes. The 2026 performance is the first official halftime show staged during a FIFA World Cup Final.
Previous tournaments have featured opening ceremonies, closing ceremonies, anthems, and pre-match performances. However, FIFA had not previously paused the Final for a large-scale concert-style halftime production.
Make Your World Cup Halftime Show Predictions on PrizePicks
The first-ever World Cup Final halftime show is bringing some of the biggest names in music to the same stage, with the possibility of a few surprises still to come.
Will Sabrina Carpenter make an appearance, or could Post Malone return after performing in the pre-match closing ceremony?
Don’t wait until lock. Make your World Cup halftime show predictions on PrizePicks and earn real money if you’re right.
With Culture Picks, you can predict Yes or No on which artists will perform during the World Cup Final halftime show. Stay locked in on Playbook for more World Cup predictions, picks, news, and analysis throughout the Final.
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