For the first time in tournament history, the World Cup final featured a halftime show, staged at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The performance carried significant weight, with a reported global television audience of one billion and a live crowd of 81,000 spectators that included numerous high-profile figures.
Madonna opened the spectacle wearing a pink soccer jersey and black leather boots, performing a mashup of "Music" and "Disco Inferno" while riding a dune buggy driven by former Brazilian stars Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
The set transitioned to conductor Gustavo Dudamel leading musicians from the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, joined by Sesame Street characters, in an instrumental rendition of "Seven Nation Army."
The ensemble closed that segment with a synchronized "Viking row" maneuver, echoing a celebrated moment from Norway's national team led by Erling Haaland.
K-pop group BTS followed with a performance of "Dynamite" before Justin Bieber took the field solo, introduced by actors reprising their Ted Lasso coaching roles.
Bieber delivered an acoustic version of "Everything Hallelujah" from his 2025 release, walking the pitch with a headset microphone in a understated, effective appearance.
Shakira then energized the crowd with a belly-dancing routine alongside Burna Boy and the Ghetto Kids dance troupe from Uganda.
Coldplay's Chris Martin closed the show with "Believe in Love," joined by the PS22 chorus, singer Emmanuel Kelly, Muppet characters, and other performers as the word "LOVE" formed on the field.
The entire halftime production lasted just 11 and a half minutes, offering a diverse but brief showcase of global talent.
The lineup was curated by Martin and Coldplay's manager, with production handled by a platform focused on ending extreme poverty.
The organization's chief executive described the gathering as the largest assembly of artists united for a cause since Live Aid, though the comparison drew skepticism.
The initiative aimed to raise $100 million by the final, with more than $50 million secured as of July 2026 through a per-ticket donation model.
