A new episode of Billboard's "Greatest Pop Stars" podcast reviews the music surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which concluded with Spain beating Argentina 1-0 in the final on 19 July. Host Andrew Unterberger and Billboard UK's Thomas Smith discuss the tournament's musical moments, from the official theme songs to the first-ever star-studded halftime show, reflecting on how pop culture intertwined with six weeks of football.

The pair debate topics including whether the final's halftime show worked, Chris Martin's role in assembling it, Justin Bieber's acoustic performance, and why Madonna and BTS opted for older songs over new material. They also discuss Shakira's "Dai Dai" as a potential World Cup classic and consider whether Oasis's "Wonderwall" gained fresh significance as an England anthem, despite stalling at number two on the UK charts.