Shakira, Madonna, BTS to headline World Cup final’s first-ever halftime show


Pop icon Madonna, Latin music superstar Shakira and K-pop sensations BTS will headline the first-ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final, organizers — and The Muppets — said early Thursday.

The headliners, some of the biggest musical acts from past and present, will make history when they take the stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

Coldplay singer Chris Martin, with the help of furry Sesame Street friend Elmo, made the announcement in a video. In it, Martin, who is curating the show, tells Elmo of the significance of the performance — and gets some help choosing the performers.

With Elmo suggests Madonna, Cookie Monster — between bites of a cookie — suggests BTS, and Animal makes his feelings clear: “Animal want Shakira.” (Miss Piggy assumed it would be her, but took the decision well).

The show will raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which the organization on X said aims to raise $100 million to “expand access to quality education and football for children around the world.”

FIFA said that $1 from every ticket sold to World Cup matches will be donated to the fund.

Shakira is no stranger to the World Cup. The official song for this year’s tournament, “Dai Dai,” set to be released Thursday, is sung by the Colombian superstar. She has also recorded the official song for two other World Cups: 2010’s “Waka Waka” and 2014’s “La La La.”

Madonna, meanwhile, will release her new album, “Confessions II,” on July 3. That record is set to be a follow-up to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” for which she won a Grammy.

K-pop supergroup BTS also has fans abuzz. Having made their long-awaited return to the stage in March following a hiatus due to their mandatory South Korean military service, the group is now embarking on a world tour.

The World Cup, soccer’s premier competition, is being held in the U.S., Canada and Mexico starting June 11.





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