Madonna, Shakira and BTS to headline World Cup final half-time show

By Press Association Sport Reporters

Global superstars Madonna and Shakira and South Korean boy band BTS will headline the first World Cup final half-time show.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who revealed the line-up via a social media video featuring characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets, is the curator of the landmark performance.

The World Cup final is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who also shared details of the event in an Instagram post, announced plans for the show in March last year.

It could lead to the half-time interval during the final lasting longer than the customary 15 minutes.

The show will be staged in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise 100 million US dollars to expand access to education and football for children around the world.

Half-time entertainment has become a major feature of sporting events in the United States, notably during the Super Bowl.

Madonna headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012, while Shakira shared the stage with Jennifer Lopez at the event in 2020.

Last summer, FIFA staged a half-time show at the MetLife Stadium during the Club World Cup final, when Chelsea beat Paris St Germain 3-0.

The biggest World Cup, featuring 48 teams, kicks off on June 11th and is being hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.