Bieber added to 11-minute World Cup final halftime lineup
Organizers said the first World Cup final halftime show will feature Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS and other performers at MetLife Stadium.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
Justin Bieber has joined the lineup for the first halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final, AFP reported, adding another major pop name to a performance planned for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Organizers said the musical segment will run 11 minutes, a detail aimed at easing concern that the break could stretch well beyond football’s usual halftime window.
Bieber is set to appear alongside Madonna, Shakira and BTS in a Super Bowl-style show curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, according to AFP. The event will take place during the final of the 2026 World Cup, giving FIFA a broadcast platform that its president, Gianni Infantino, has described as “definitely the biggest stage ever.”
A short show with a tight clock
The length of the performance has become a point of scrutiny because football’s laws allow a halftime interval of no more than 15 minutes. AFP reported that even an 11-minute concert could require more time once crews account for staging, setup and removal.
The confirmed running time is shorter than earlier speculation that the show could last as long as 25 minutes. It is also slightly below many recent Super Bowl halftime shows, which AFP said have generally run about 13 to 14 minutes.
FIFA tested the concept last year at the FIFA Club World Cup final, also held at MetLife Stadium. AFP reported that the halftime entertainment extended the full break to just over 24 minutes, drawing criticism over possible effects on players’ performance.
Fundraising focus
The show will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative seeking to raise $100 million for children worldwide during the World Cup, according to AFP. Characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets are also scheduled to appear.
Bieber said in a statement cited by AFP that he was grateful to take part and that the event was helping widen access to education for children. Global Citizen cofounder and CEO Hugh Evans called the event “the single largest gathering of artists united for a cause since Live Aid” and said it could become the most-watched 11 minutes of music performance on television.
Organizers also announced Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy and Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel for the lineup, AFP reported. Coldplay will take part through a collaboration with PS22 Chorus, a choir made up of students from a New York public elementary school.
Infantino has said “a couple of billion” people are expected to watch the final, according to AFP. That audience would give the halftime show unusually broad reach, while also testing how FIFA fits an entertainment production into the rhythms of a match where the break is usually brief and tightly managed.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.