Shakira, The Muppets, Justin Bieber & More Perform At FIFA World Cup Halftime Show

The halftime show and closing ceremony also included performances from Post Malone, Robbie Williams, Madonna, and more.

Shakira at the FIFA World Cup Halftime Show(Credit: YouTube/FIFA)

For the first time in its history, the FIFA World Cup was home to quite the American twist: a halftime show.

Held in the US this year, Spain and Argentina battled it out for the win this morning (20 August, Australian time), but mid-match, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium transformed from a soccer pitch into a concert setting.

Coldplay’s Chris Martin curated the Halftime Show, which featured headline performances from Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and BTS. Guest performers included Burna Boy, The Muppets, and Emmanuel Kelly, and the event also featured special guest appearances by Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt. Plus, Coldplay also took to the stage.

Elsewhere, Post Malone headlined the closing ceremony—debuting a new hip-hop-inspired song, Chrome Heartbreaker, presumably from his upcoming project, Eternal Buzz—which also featured performances from Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Laura Pausini, and American influencer IShowSpeed, who performed his FIFA World Cup soundtrack album song, Champions.

Hollywood actor Tom Cruise also made an appearance during the closing ceremony, while Jennifer Hudson was on hand to perform the United States national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.

Notably, the halftime show received criticism from soccer commentators and fans for feeling too commercialised and for adding unwanted Americanisation to the game. Additionally, the halftime show lasted 27 minutes, breaking the Laws of the Game, which state that halftime can’t go past 15 minutes.

You can watch highlights from the halftime show below.

One of the vocal critics of the halftime show and of FIFA President Gianni Infantino is The Cure’s Robert Smith.

Taking to Instagram ahead of the World Cup Final, Smith explained that he wasn’t criticising Martin or the performers, but that he’s against the “#MUGWANK I D E A” of a FIFA World Cup Halftime Show, and expressed disappointment that Infantino and US President Donald Trump ultimately presented the winners’ trophy to the winning country of the tournament.

“sigh… FOR THOSE OF US NOT QUITE GETTING IT: THE POINT IS NOT R E A L L Y ABOUT W H O IS CURATING OR PERFORMING, IT IS ABOUT THE #MUGWANK I D E A OF A FOOTBALL WORLD CUP FINAL HALF TIME SHOW,” Smith wrote.

His post continued, “IF YOU NOW UNDERSTAND MY ‘AAAAAAAGH!’ A BIT BETTER, BUT STILL DON’T AGREE, PLEASE ADJUST YOUR RED CAP, YOUR ‘I 🖤 JANNY + DONNY + $$$’ TSHIRT AND… KNOCK YOURSELF OUT? ONWARDS… RSX

“PS. “Infantosser has said he and US president Trumpton will small hand over trophy on Sunday”. SADLY, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH A’S LEFT FOR THE ‘ARGH’ THAT SHOULD FOLLOW… #breadandcircuses #pleasejustfuckoff #fuckfifa #justlookup lostworld”.

Madonna's performance at the World Cup Halftime show pic.twitter.com/3NgixiW8gK
— culture (@notgwendalupe) July 19, 2026

SHAKIRA performing at the FIFA #WorldCup Final Halftime Show pic.twitter.com/VLEkuT7LIV
— ْ (@pourlesjolies) July 19, 2026

Muppets are playing Seven Nation Army for the halftime show.#Animal pic.twitter.com/da9xZ6E45q
— Eduardo Macouzet (@eduardomacouzet) July 19, 2026

Justin Bieber performing "EVERYTHING HALLELUJAH" at the FIFA World Cup Halftime Show. pic.twitter.com/FkhnWpcXKj
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 19, 2026