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Madonna, Bieber and BTS headline record-breaking World Cup half-time show
Developed over time first seen 4 months ago
The 2026 World Cup final closed with a record-breaking half-time show featuring Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and K-pop group BTS, in a display of star power organisers pitched as a rival to the Superbowl. Madonna, performing her hit Music, appeared alongside Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, while the show's unusual 27-minute-22-second length drew criticism, as International Football Association Board rules permit a maximum 15-minute half-time stoppage. On the pitch, Spain beat Argentina to win the World Cup for the second time in the country's history.
Shakira reunited with Nigerian musician Burna Boy, having previously performed together at the tournament's opening ceremony in Mexico City, while BTS used the appearance to mark their return after a three-year hiatus spent completing mandatory military service in South Korea. The wider closing ceremony at the New York New Jersey Stadium also included Jennifer Hudson singing the US national anthem, a speech from actor Tom Cruise on football's unifying power, and performances from Post Malone, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. Numerous celebrities attended, including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet and Anya Taylor-Joy.
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In short
- Madonna, Bieber, Shakira and BTS headlined the World Cup half-time show
- Show ran 27m22s, breaching Ifab's 15-minute stoppage limit
- Spain beat Argentina in the final, winning the World Cup again
How this story developed
- 4 months ago Further details confirmed the same headline facts, that Madonna's Music performance featured Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, that the 27-minute-22-second show breached Ifab's 15-minute rule amid ongoing controversy, and that Spain's win capped a ceremony watched by Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet.
- 4 months ago With Spain having beaten Argentina to lift the trophy, attention turned to the half-time show's record length sparking criticism for breaching Ifab's 15-minute maximum interval, alongside revelations that Ronaldo and Ronaldinho joined Madonna on stage during her set.
- 4 months ago The half-time show has now gone ahead, running to 27 minutes and 22 seconds rather than the previously advertised 11-minute slot, with Madonna opening on Music, Bieber on guitar and Shakira reuniting with Burna Boy for Dai Dai as BTS marked their comeback from military service before a celebrity-studded crowd.
- 4 months ago Spain and Argentina's 2026 World Cup final began with an elaborate opening ceremony at the New York New Jersey Stadium, featuring IShowSpeed, Robbie Williams, Post Malone, Jennifer Hudson's national anthem and a Tom Cruise speech, with a half-time show billed at roughly 11 minutes and headlined by Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS in aid of Fifa's education fund.
- The Hollywood Reporter World Cup Final Star-Spotting: Matt Damon, Tom Cruise, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Timothée Chalamet in Attendance
- Fox News First World Cup halftime show draws mixed reactions for Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna performances
- BBC Sport Madonna, Bieber and BTS headline record-breaking World Cup half-time show
Where outlets differ
Centre outlets 1
Only here: headline, record, breaking, half, time
Right-leaning outlets 1
Only here: halftime, draws, mixed, reactions, shakira
Every side used: madonna, bieber, world, show
Headline columns compared word for word; nothing in them is AI-written.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The extended spectacle showcased football's unifying power across continents—from Brazilian legends to K-pop and Shakira—creating a globally resonant experience that rivalled major sporting events. For a singular, once-every-four-years celebration of the World Cup's grandeur, the additional minutes delivered memorable entertainment to billions of viewers and honoured the tournament's stature as sport's greatest stage, justifying the special accommodation.
The case against
Rules governing competition exist for essential reasons: player recovery, broadcast integrity, and fairness to all teams and tournaments. Permitting a 12-minute rule violation sets a precedent that institutional consistency and equitable governance matter less than spectacle, potentially inviting future overruns and undermining FIFA's authority to maintain the structured competition that has served the sport reliably for decades.
Explained simply
Madonna performing Music with football icons Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, plus a reunion between Shakira and Burna Boy, and a comeback for BTS after their three-year hiatus for South Korea's mandatory military service.
The performance formed part of the closing ceremony for the 2026 World Cup final at the New York New Jersey Stadium, which organisers had promoted as a rival to the Superbowl half-time show in scale and star power. The ceremony also featured Jennifer Hudson, Post Malone, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini, alongside a speech from actor Tom Cruise, and drew a crowd of celebrity spectators including Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Timothée Chalamet.
The show ran well beyond the 15-minute half-time limit set by football's rulemaking body, the International Football Association Board, prompting criticism over its length. On the pitch, the match itself saw Spain defeat Argentina to claim their second World Cup title.
Coverage · 3 sources
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From 2 rated sources, 1 unrated.
- BBC SportCentreMadonna, Bieber and BTS headline record-breaking World Cup half-time show
- The Hollywood ReporterWorld Cup Final Star-Spotting: Matt Damon, Tom Cruise, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Timothée Chalamet in Attendance
- Fox NewsRightFirst World Cup halftime show draws mixed reactions for Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna performances
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Originally published by BBC Sport as “World Cup final kicks-off with star-studded opening”.