BTS, Madonna and Shakira's World Cup Final Halftime Show Was a Win for the World
History was made during Spain's World Cup Final victory over Argentina for more reasons than just soccer. For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, the tournament's biggest match featured a star-studded halftime show, with BTS, Shakira, Justin Bieber and Madonna taking the stage in a spectacle produced by Global Citizen. In the days leading up to the performance, much of the conversation centered on whether a halftime show was "Americanizing” for the world's biggest sporting event. Even The Cure's Robert Smith publicly questioned the idea. But much of that discourse overlooked why the show existed in the first place: to raise awareness and support for the $100 million FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund benefiting underserved communities around the world. If there was ever a stage worthy of that message, it was the most-watched sporting event on Earth.Madonna kicked things off with a Danceteria-inspired opening set inside the corridors of New York New Jersey Stadium, launching into "Music" while weaving in elements of Confessions favorite "Everybody.” Few artists embody the intersection of pop culture and philanthropy quite like Madonna, whose commitment to charitable work stretches from Live Aid in 1985 to founding Raising Malawi. She closed her set atop a moving car alongside Brazilian soccer legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, a fitting entrance for a halftime show built around global icons. The energy only grew from there. Gustavo Dudamel and the Muppets transformed "Seven Nation Army" into a triumphant stadium moment before welcoming BTS for what became the show's standout performance. The group's soccer-themed rendition of "Dynamite" turned the stadium into a giant dance floor, while also underscoring why they were such an important part of the lineup: the group’s fans, the dedicated BTS ARMY, organized to raise funds for Global Citizen's Education Fund. Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt then shifted the mood, introducing Justin Bieber, who appeared with nothing more than an acoustic guitar for a stripped-back performance of "Everything Hallelujah." "It's the World Cup, hallelujah," Bieber smiled. For a minute, Bieber made the stadium feel almost intimate — and it’s exciting to see Bieber back on a world stage like this. Then came the artist synonymous with the World Cup itself. Shakira continued the show with a commanding performance of "Dai Dai," this year's tournament anthem. Comparisons to 2010's "Waka Waka" were inevitable, as usual, but she never tried to recreate that, and instead delivered an electric anthem that soundtracked the summer. The performance with Burna Boy Sunday night was a gorgeous culmination to the summer of soccer.As the show reached its finale, the stadium transformed into a colorful celebration of love. Elmo, Cookie Monster, Coldplay, Bieber, BTS, and Shakira all shared the stage as messages championing the spread of love filled the venue, bringing the night's mission front and center. By the time of the halftime show performance, the FIFA Education Fund had already raised more than $60 million to help expand access to education and soccer programs worldwide. That mission will only grow and continue for years to come. And the impact is already showing. Just days before the tournament began, FIFA and Global Citizen announced a slate of grantees across 18 countries, awarding between $50,000 and $250,000 to organizations expanding educational opportunities for children in underserved places. With those latest commitments, the fund has now supported awhooping 58 community organizations and nearly half a million children around the globe. In the end, the halftime show wasn't about making the World Cup feel more like the Super Bowl. It was about using the world's biggest stage to amplify a cause that extends far beyond kicking around a ball.Photography courtesy of Global Citizen, FIFA
Black News 
History was made during Spain's World Cup Final victory over Argentina for more reasons than just soccer. For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, the tournament's biggest match featured a star-studded halftime show, with BTS, Shakira, Justin Bieber and Madonna taking the stage in a spectacle produced by Global Citizen.
In the days leading up to the performance, much of the conversation centered on whether a halftime show was "Americanizing” for the world's biggest sporting event. Even The Cure's Robert Smith publicly questioned the idea. But much of that discourse overlooked why the show existed in the first place: to raise awareness and support for the $100 million FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund benefiting underserved communities around the world.
If there was ever a stage worthy of that message, it was the most-watched sporting event on Earth.
Madonna kicked things off with a Danceteria-inspired opening set inside the corridors of New York New Jersey Stadium, launching into "Music" while weaving in elements of Confessions favorite "Everybody.” Few artists embody the intersection of pop culture and philanthropy quite like Madonna, whose commitment to charitable work stretches from Live Aid in 1985 to founding Raising Malawi. She closed her set atop a moving car alongside Brazilian soccer legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, a fitting entrance for a halftime show built around global icons.
The energy only grew from there. Gustavo Dudamel and the Muppets transformed "Seven Nation Army" into a triumphant stadium moment before welcoming BTS for what became the show's standout performance. The group's soccer-themed rendition of "Dynamite" turned the stadium into a giant dance floor, while also underscoring why they were such an important part of the lineup: the group’s fans, the dedicated BTS ARMY, organized to raise funds for Global Citizen's Education Fund.
Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt then shifted the mood, introducing Justin Bieber, who appeared with nothing more than an acoustic guitar for a stripped-back performance of "Everything Hallelujah." "It's the World Cup, hallelujah," Bieber smiled. For a minute, Bieber made the stadium feel almost intimate — and it’s exciting to see Bieber back on a world stage like this.
Then came the artist synonymous with the World Cup itself. Shakira continued the show with a commanding performance of "Dai Dai," this year's tournament anthem. Comparisons to 2010's "Waka Waka" were inevitable, as usual, but she never tried to recreate that, and instead delivered an electric anthem that soundtracked the summer. The performance with Burna Boy Sunday night was a gorgeous culmination to the summer of soccer.
As the show reached its finale, the stadium transformed into a colorful celebration of love. Elmo, Cookie Monster, Coldplay, Bieber, BTS, and Shakira all shared the stage as messages championing the spread of love filled the venue, bringing the night's mission front and center.
By the time of the halftime show performance, the FIFA Education Fund had already raised more than $60 million to help expand access to education and soccer programs worldwide. That mission will only grow and continue for years to come.
And the impact is already showing. Just days before the tournament began, FIFA and Global Citizen announced a slate of grantees across 18 countries, awarding between $50,000 and $250,000 to organizations expanding educational opportunities for children in underserved places. With those latest commitments, the fund has now supported awhooping 58 community organizations and nearly half a million children around the globe.
In the end, the halftime show wasn't about making the World Cup feel more like the Super Bowl. It was about using the world's biggest stage to amplify a cause that extends far beyond kicking around a ball.
Photography courtesy of Global Citizen, FIFA
