Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Shakira showcased snippets of their popular songs at the World Cup’s inaugural halftime show, along with appearances by Burna Boy, Ted Lasso, and Muppets. The event at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey aimed to infuse Super Bowl excitement into the World Cup, featuring a dynamic 11-minute performance featuring multiple headliners compared to the typical 13-minute solo act in American football halftime shows.
The show kicked off with Madonna performing her hit song “Music” from 2000, accompanied by Brazilian soccer legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. The performance began with a pre-recorded segment at a roller rink before Madonna made a grand entrance into the stadium on a dune buggy, singing the iconic lyrics, “Music makes the people come together.”
Conductor Gustavo Dudamel led an orchestra through The White Stripes’ classic tune “Seven Nation Army,” while the Muppets’ house band, including the animated drummer Animal, provided lively accompaniment. K-pop sensations BTS then took the stage, dressed in red and black, delivering a vibrant rendition of their hit song “Dynamite.”
Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt in their “Ted Lasso” personas hyped up Justin Bieber, who later performed “Everything Hallelujah” with an acoustic guitar, creating a relaxed ambiance. Shakira and Burna Boy concluded the show with their official World Cup anthem “Dai Dai,” featuring a captivating performance by Shakira in a colorful feathered dress surrounded by dancers, including children.
The halftime spectacle concluded with the PS22 Chorus, comprised of elementary school students from Staten Island, NY, backed by Dudamel and joined by Chris Martin, Shakira, and various Muppets and “Sesame Street” characters. The ensemble of around 40 musicians, including members from the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, played pre-recorded music that was captured earlier at the Manhattan Center.
In the post-match closing ceremony, Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams, Post Malone, and Tom Cruise delivered an array of performances and speeches. Williams, along with Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini, sang the FIFA anthem “Desire,” while Post Malone debuted a new song, “Chrome Heartbreaker,” and performed his duet “Sunflower” with Swae Lee. Cruise delivered a heartfelt speech, emphasizing the unifying power of the tournament.
Live renditions of national anthems marked the closing ceremony, with Jennifer Hudson delivering a powerful rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in front of a backdrop of world flags. The ceremony also featured instrumental performances of Spain’s “La Marcha Real” and Argentina’s “Himno Nacional Argentino” by Spanish Brass and pop star María Becerra, respectively.