New York New Jersey Stadium hosts first World Cup final halftime show

By Sanjay Menon — 19 July 2026 — 4 min read

Historic Halftime Show Features Global Stars

The FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show made its debut at the New York New Jersey Stadium, marking the first time in the tournament’s 96-year history that a final featured such an event. The show, which took place during the championship match between Spain and Argentina, was curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and produced in collaboration with Global Citizen. The performance extended the usual 15-minute halftime break to 30 minutes, allowing for a diverse lineup of artists.

Among the performers were global music icons such as Shakira, Madonna, and Justin Bieber. They were joined by Burna Boy, The Muppets’ Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the New York Philharmonic, Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, and PS22. This star-studded assembly aimed to deliver a memorable experience for the audience.

BTS Delivers Energetic Performance

BTS, the South Korean group, performed their hit song “Dynamite” during the halftime show. The members—RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook—wore custom ARIRANG-red World Cup outfits, which featured their names and the number 7, symbolising the seven members. Despite arriving from Paris the night before, the group delivered an energetic performance in the 83-degree Fahrenheit (28-degree Celsius) and humid weather.

“Dynamite” holds significance for BTS as it was their first song to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 and set a record for the most weeks at No. 1 on the sales charts. It also earned the group their first Grammy nomination in 2020. During their performance, surrounded by over two dozen dancers, screens displayed the lyrics, encouraging crowd participation. Following the final act by PS22, BTS rejoined the other artists on the field to dance to an unreleased track by Coldplay.

The group has a history with football-related events, including a collaboration with Hyundai in 2022 for the “Goal of the Century” campaign song and music video for the tournament in Qatar. Jung Kook previously made history as the first South Korean artist to perform at World Cup events, singing the official track “Dreamers” at the 2022 World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar. This halftime show marked another historical moment for BTS.

Closing Ceremony and Pre-Match Concert

Before the final match, a pre-match concert kicked off the closing ceremony events. The concert featured a drumline and break dancers surrounding a circular stage designed to resemble a football. Models of New York landmarks, such as the Washington Square Arch and the Vessel, emerged around the stage. Despite the elaborate setup, wide shots during the broadcast revealed empty seats as supporters were still entering the stadium, and tighter angles sometimes left performers appearing isolated.

IShowSpeed, an American streamer, brought considerable energy to the pre-match show, performing “World Cup (Champions)”. He was seen catching and kicking a golden football while dancers performed around him. Other artists like Post Malone and Swae Lee also performed, with Post Malone appearing in denim for “Chrome Heartbreaker” and Swae Lee performing “Sunflower” alongside dancers in multi-coloured tracksuits. The sound during these performances suggested the use of fully recorded vocal tracks, a common practice in large stadium shows where choreography and broadcast timing take precedence over live vocals.

The closing ceremony gained momentum after Jennifer Hudson performed the US national anthem to a full crowd. Following this, Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, and Nicole Scherzinger performed the Fifa anthem, “Desire,” together. They were all dressed in blue, with Williams in a bedazzled Adidas tracksuit. Men carrying Fifa flags marched towards the stage, and the flags of the 48 participating nations surrounded the singers, waving in time with the music. Fireworks lit up the sky, drawing cheers from the now-full stadium.

Tom Cruise then appeared alone on the pitch, dressed in a black polo shirt. He addressed the crowd, tracing the tournament’s journey from its 48 starting nations to the finalists, Spain and Argentina, whose names he pronounced in Spanish. Cruise spoke about football as a universal language that unites people and turns strangers into friends. He concluded by asking the crowd to celebrate a tournament that brought the world together, stating, “This is football. This is unity. And this is greatness.” His delivery was described as convincing, and he allowed the crowd to respond, contributing to a stronger sense of occasion in the final section of the ceremony.

The World Cup Final Halftime Show and the closing ceremony featured a blend of musical performances and celebratory elements, culminating in a speech by Tom Cruise.

Source: forbes.com