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

Madonna, Shakira and K-pop supergroup BTS are set to headline the first-ever Super Bowl-style halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final this summer

The tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will end with the final match taking place in New Jersey on 19 July. According to reports from the BBC, the halftime performance is expected to last about 11 minutes.

This marks a historic change for football’s biggest game, as halftime entertainment on this scale has never been staged at a World Cup final before, unlike events such as the Super Bowl where musical performances are a long-standing tradition.

Colombian superstar Shakira, who previously performed the 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” is also expected to feature. She is set to release a new official World Cup song titled “Dai Dai” on Thursday. The track, which includes Nigerian singer Burna Boy, uses an Italian phrase meaning “let’s go” or “come on.”

American pop icon Madonna, one of the best-selling female artists of all time, is also part of the lineup. The 67-year-old recently made headlines after a surprise appearance with Sabrina Carpenter at the Coachella festival, where she performed “Vogue” and “Like a Prayer.” She is also preparing to release her upcoming project “Confessions II” in July.

K-pop sensation BTS, one of the biggest music groups in South Korean history with tens of millions of records sold, will also take part. The group, who recently reunited after completing mandatory military service, are currently preparing for a massive world tour and will be on the road during the performance period.

The halftime show is expected to run for about 11 minutes and is being positioned as a major entertainment expansion for the World Cup final.