FIFA staged the first halftime show in the history of a FIFA World Cup final, bringing together an all-star lineup that included Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber. Despite the star-studded cast and the event’s charitable purpose, the spectacle ultimately received a mixed response.
Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, and Madonna walk into a World Cup final stadium—it sounds like the setup to a joke, but instead it was the opening act of the first halftime show ever held during a FIFA World Cup final.
It didn’t disrupt the flow of the match, but it was ultimately underwhelming.
Madonna opened the performance with “Music,” the title track from her 25-year-old album of the same name, before also performing “Confessions II,” her latest release, which has topped the charts in recent days.
The performance continued with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, joined by characters from The Muppets for a symphonic rendition of The White Stripes’ soccer anthem “Seven Nation Army.” The orchestra then handed over—more accurately, passed the spotlight as the giant screens displayed Erling Haaland’s signature celebration—to BTS, who performed what is arguably their biggest hit, “Dynamite.” The performance felt more like an unrealized promise than a truly live show, despite being watched by millions around the world.
Next came Jason Sudeikis in character as Ted Lasso from the hit soccer-themed television series. He introduced the show’s real headline act, Justin Bieber, who delivered an acoustic performance of “Everything Hallelujah.”
Midway through the 11-minute production, it was time for what many call the “Queen of the World Cup.” Shakira and Burna Boy performed “Dai Dai,” the official song of the tournament.
The giant screens at New York New Jersey Stadium then briefly shifted attention to Pelé—the man widely credited with helping establish professional soccer in the United States during his time with the New York Cosmos—as he spoke about love. The focus soon returned to the field, where all of the show’s performers, joined by the PS22 Children’s Chorus and Chris Martin, who served as the live show’s artistic director, performed “We Believe,” the official anthem of the 23rd FIFA World Cup.
Under FIFA regulations, halftime is officially scheduled to last 15 minutes. During the final between Spain and Argentina, however, fans witnessed the first 27-minute halftime break in World Cup history.
In response to any criticism, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is likely to point to one figure: the show raised more than $100 million, which will be distributed through the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund to expand access to quality education and soccer opportunities for children around the world.
“When we talk about what the world needs, there is nothing more important than education,” Infantino said when announcing the lineup of performers.
Should we hope to see more halftime shows at future World Cup finals?
Probably not.
