Spain may have captured its first FIFA Men’s World Cup title since 2010, defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final. But it was kids from Uganda and Staten Island, New York, who stole hearts during this historic World Cup run.
FIFA World Cup 2026™ unveiled its first-ever halftime show, a Super Bowl-inspired masterpiece that brought music, dance and global culture to MetLife Stadium. Curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay in partnership with FIFA and Global Citizen, the performances underlined the diversity that has defined this year’s tournament. The lineup reflected the global soundtrack of pop culture, with Afrobeats, Latin pop, K-pop, youth dance culture and even the Muppets sharing football’s biggest stage.
Madonna opened the 11-minute halftime experience, ending her energetic performance of “Music” flanked by Afro-Brazilian football legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo.
Nigerian superstar Burna Boy and Shakira performed the tournament’s official anthem, “Dai Dai,” a blend of Afro-fusion, Latin rhythms and pop. They were joined onstage by the Ghetto Kids, a dance troupe from Kampala, Uganda.
Founded in 2007 by Dauda Kavuma, the organization provides young children with opportunities to improve their lives through dance and community. The global internet superstars, who first gained worldwide attention through their viral dance videos, were personally invited by Shakira to perform with her after she saw their choreography for “Dai Dai.”
Keeping it close to home, the PS22 Chorus sang Coldplay’s “We Dance” to close the halftime show, helping to spotlight believeinlove.org, a new initiative launched today to inspire people all over the world to participate in small acts of love to help defeat poverty and defend the planet. The acclaimed elementary school chorus from Staten Island has been performing for more than two decades.
Before kickoff, Jennifer Hudson reminded everyone why she’s an EGOT winner with a powerful rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The World Cup’s closing ceremony was just as electric, with high-spirited performances from Brooklyn United, a music- and arts-based community organization that serves New York City youth; Fogo Azul NYC, a women-led samba reggae drumline marching band based in New York City; and the NYC Bucket Drummers. Swae Lee dueted with Post Malone while IShowSpeed became the first content creator to perform at the World Cup’s closing show with “Champions.”
Bringing together a cultural feast of music, FIFA’s first halftime show proved that when music and sports come together, they can create global harmony. It also signaled that football’s biggest stage is becoming as much a celebration of global culture as it is of the game itself.