Musical headliners Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS and Coldplay were joined by Brazilian soccer icons and “Ted Lasso” actors in a spectacular first-ever World Cup final halftime show on Sunday. This star-packed, Super Bowl-style extravaganza represented a first for soccer’s showpiece event. The production also featured a tribute to football icon Pele. Additionally, Gustavo Dudamel led a rendition of “Seven Nation Army” featuring musicians from the US, Venezuela and Iran.
“Sesame Street” and “The Muppets” characters joined Coldplay and a New York elementary school choir to close out a performance designed to raise money for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which promotes access to sport for underprivileged children. However, the extended intermission caused some debate. The 12-minute performance meant the total halftime break in the match between Spain and Argentina lasted 27 minutes.
Massive Scale Sparks Global Debates
Organizers had billed the halftime show as “the single largest gathering of artists united for a cause since Live Aid,” and “the most-watched 11 minutes of broadcast music performance in history”. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino predicted “a couple of billion” people would tune in.
Meanwhile, the extended intermission drew some criticism. Many experts worried about the potential impact on players’ performance. This show was highly unusual for soccer. However, it was slightly shorter than recent Super Bowl halftime performances. Those American football shows typically run around 13 to 14 minutes long.
Unforgettable Stadium Performances
The crowd erupted with a roar as the show began with Madonna being transported through tunnels beneath the MetLife Stadium on a dune buggy driven by Brazil soccer legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Her performance of “Music” led to a massive orchestral collaboration. The segment featured the New York Philharmonic, Venezuela’s Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, and Iranian violinist Bijan Mortazavi. Together, they performed the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”. This rock hit has become a global US soccer stadium staple.
Footage of the Norway fans’ “Viking row” celebration from this tournament led into K-pop sensation BTS performing their smash hit “Dynamite,” rewritten with soccer-specific lyrics, before “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudeikis and his “Coach Beard” sidekick Brendan Hunt made a surprise appearance. They introduced Canadian pop megastar Bieber. He performed an emotional, World Cup-tailored version of “Everything Hallelujah”. Next, Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy ramped the energy back up. They performed this World Cup’s anthem, “Dai Dai,” accompanied by Ugandan dancers.
“The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund was described by organizers as the ‘driving force’ behind the halftime show.”
Honoring Legacies and Funding Futures
Giant screens showed footage of Brazil’s late soccer icon Pele from 1977, addressing the crowd at the old Giants Stadium on this same New Jersey site following his final professional game. Pele passed away in 2022, months after the last World Cup.
Fortunately, the event successfully supported a great philanthropic mission. PS22 Chorus, a New York school choir that has gone viral globally with YouTube covers of popular hits, closed out the show, with Coldplay — whose singer Chris Martin curated the entire performance — and characters from “The Muppets” and “Sesame Street.”
The charity disburses cash to community groups. These groups provide education and sport to underprivileged children. They operate in countries from Ghana and South Africa to France and the United Kingdom. The fund aims to raise $100 million. It had passed $60 million before the show. This total included a $1 donation from every World Cup ticket sold. Corporations, nation states, and private donors also contributed heavily. FIFA has already announced 58 groups that will receive grants, reaching 400,000 children worldwide.
Even before the game, a parade of stars took the microphone to whip up the crowd. Post Malone headlined a closing ceremony. Tom Cruise delivered a monologue about football unifying the world. However, singing fans largely drowned him out in the stadium. Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, and Jennifer Hudson were among further A-list performers.
