Billboard's Pop Shop Podcast has reviewed the first-ever World Cup Final halftime show, which packed Shakira, BTS, Madonna and Justin Bieber into a single 11-minute performance. Hosts Katie Atkinson and Keith Caulfield discuss what worked and what "got weird" during the star-studded spectacle, which took place at the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on 19 July 2026.

The performance featured an unusually large supporting cast alongside the four headline acts, including conductor Gustavo Dudamel leading the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt reprising their Ted Lasso and Coach Beard characters, Staten Island's PS22 Chorus, Coldplay performing a new song called "We Dance", and an appearance from The Muppets. The same podcast episode also covers other chart news, including Future's 12th number one album, a Rolling Stones record for top 10 album entries, and a strong chart debut for the Heated Rivalry TV soundtrack.