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Justin Bieber, Shakira, Madonna and BTS: What to expect at the World Cup final halftime show that could break soccer's rules

FIFA's first-ever World Cup final halftime show sparks intense backlash from fans and musicians.

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📍 How it ended

The World Cup final halftime show featured performances by Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, and a Staten Island elementary school chorus. Following the event, the spectacle received mixed reviews from critics, soccer figures, and fans, with some comparisons drawn to festival production styles.

The coverage concluded after widespread debate regarding the show's reception and its integration into the match.

Epilogue added 38d ago, after coverage quieted.

The brief

According to coverage from outlets including ESPN, Rolling Stone, Yahoo, and The Independent, the 2026 World Cup final featured the organization's first-ever halftime show. Additional reporting from AP News, Pitchfork, and NPR noted that the spectacle brought a cavalcade of international stars to the stage during the final match. The event immediately drew sharp criticism and mixed reactions, as documented by Fox News, The New York Times, and Variety. Soccer legend Wayne Rooney described the star-studded show as crap in an on-air moment, while musician Liam Gallagher compared the performance to a bad trip in reports covered by Yahoo and Rolling Stone.

Variety also noted that Robert Smith of The Cure slammed the production using explicit language. Fans joined the backlash online, with headlines from The Independent capturing reactions such as look how they massacred my beautiful game. Context provided by Vanity Fair indicates that FIFA modeled the halftime presentation after Coachella, bringing a music festival format into the traditional soccer championship. Earlier coverage from outlets like Forbes, People.com, and WFAA had confirmed the lineup of entertainers leading up to the final, which also included Post Malone headlining the closing ceremony alongside figures like Tom Cruise and IShowSpeed.

Coverage does not yet specify whether FIFA will repeat the halftime format at future tournaments, leaving ongoing questions about how soccer governing bodies will approach entertainment integrations moving forward. Outlets such as the Financial Times and The New York Times continue to examine the broader implications of introducing a Super Bowl-style intermission to the world's most watched soccer match.

Synthesized by PULSE from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: unsupported claims removed (91% supported) Updated 35d ago.

Quick answers

Who performed at the World Cup final halftime show?

According to ESPN and other outlets, performers included Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, the Muppets, and a Staten Island elementary school chorus.

What were the reactions to the halftime show?

Reactions were mixed to negative; outlets report criticism from Liam Gallagher, Robert Smith, soccer player Wayne Rooney, and various fans.

Who headlined the closing ceremony?

People.com and ESPN reported that Post Malone headlined the closing ceremony, alongside Tom Cruise and IShowSpeed.

Coverage (26)

Topics

World Cup FIFA Madonna Shakira Justin Bieber BTS

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