Music brings people together.
Madonna, now 68, has been a global icon for more than four decades and required just one musical line to turn the World Cup final stadium into a concert hall. On the morning of the 20th at 4 a.m. (Korean time), the first-ever official halftime show in World Cup history took place at the ‘New York New Jersey Stadium’ in New Jersey, U.S., during the ‘2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.’ Madonna, who opened the performance, started with her 2000 hit song *Music*. This energetic electro-pop song, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, emphasizes the idea of uniting people across the globe through music—reflecting the World Cup’s ideals of global unity and integration. Madonna performed while dancing on top of a steel truck driven by Brazilian football stars Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, receiving loud cheers from the audience.
The half-time performance took place under high tension following a 0-0 draw at the end of the first half of the final. International stars, including Madonna, took the stage in a relay, delivering acts that represented the World Cup. After Madonna, the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra performed a version of *Seven Nation Army*, a guitar riff from The White Stripes’ 2003 track, which has become an unofficial anthem for football fans around the world. The orchestras were led by Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, with Animal, a rock persona from the American puppet show *The Muppet Show*, playing the drums. The performers recreated Norway’s ‘Viking Ceremony,’ one of the standout moments of this World Cup, by moving their instruments as if they were oars.
The most thrilling moment occurred when BTS took the stage following the orchestra’s set. Jungkook, who made history as the first K-pop artist to perform at the 2022 Qatar World Cup opening, started alone, singing the group’s popular song *Dynamite*. The entire group then joined him, enjoying almost twice the stage time given to earlier acts such as Madonna. Dressed in outfits featuring the number ‘7’—representing the group’s full lineup—the members executed synchronized dance moves, causing enthusiastic applause.
Other notable appearances were Jason Sudeikis, who stars as the main character in the popular football series *Ted Lasso*, along with Brendan Hunt, who portrays his coach, and Canadian musician Justin Bieber. Unlike other artists, Bieber, accompanied by an acoustic guitar, brought a serious tone to the end with his performance of *Everything Hallelujah*. Shakira, known for her frequent World Cup performances, then took the stage with rapper Bernboy, exciting the audience with the official 2026 World Cup song *Dai Dai*.
The concluding segment included the song *We Dance*, written by Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, who was involved in producing part of the event. The PS22 choir, made up of elementary school students from Staten Island, New York, performed with all the artists during the track. The performance highlighted the ‘FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund,’ which seeks to gather $100 million (around 150 billion South Korean won) to assist underprivileged children globally through education and football programs. By the time of the final, $60 million had already been raised. All halftime show performers agreed to forgo their fees in support of the fund’s objective.
Nevertheless, the prolonged halftime—extended to 30 minutes instead of the usual 15—caused controversy. Opponents claimed it focused more on financial benefits from advertisements and affected athletes’ preparedness. Ex-England player Scott Parker commented in *The Telegraph*, saying, “A 30-minute break is an avoidable challenge, particularly for a World Cup final director already facing significant pressure.”
jasdooit 
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