The FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show at New York New Jersey Stadium featured a lineup of global music icons, including Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Shakira. The performance, which also included Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, Chris Martin, and the Muppets, was condensed into an 11-minute segment, with each artist receiving limited stage time.
Despite earlier reports suggesting the halftime show might exceed its allotted duration, the performance concluded just seconds over the 11-minute mark. This brevity meant that many of the featured superstars had approximately two minutes or less on stage, or in some cases, appeared in pre-recorded segments.
Halftime Show Highlights
The show commenced with a pre-taped segment featuring Madonna, alongside Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, traveling in a jeep through tunnels beneath the stadium. Her journey culminated in a brief appearance on the field, where she struck a pose as her performance of “Music” concluded, transitioning the focus to other acts.
Following Madonna, LA Phil conductor Gustavo Dudamel led string sections from New York and Venezuela, supporting the Muppet band in a rendition of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” This segment, lasting about a minute, was succeeded by the K-pop sensation BTS.
BTS performed a version of their hit “Dynamite,” incorporating altered football-themed lyrics, for approximately one minute and 40 seconds. Their performance was unexpectedly followed by an appearance from Jason Sudeikis, who briefly reprised his role as Ted Lasso. Sudeikis’s segment involved coaching Justin Bieber as he took the stage.
Justin Bieber then delivered a solo acoustic performance of “Everything Hallelujah” from his album “Swag II.” The show’s headliner was Shakira, who performed the FIFA anthem “Dai Dai” with Burna Boy. The anthem’s lyrics, “Here in this place you belong,” conveyed a message of unity.
The halftime show concluded with the Muppets returning to the stage, joined by the Webby Award-winning PS22 Chorus and Chris Martin, who had curated the event. They performed a song emphasizing belief in love, bringing the historic first World Cup final halftime show to a close.
Pre-Match and Closing Ceremony Performances
Earlier in the day, the opening ceremony featured extended performances compared to the halftime show. Post Malone sang three songs, including a partial version of “Chrome Heartbreaker,” a preview from his upcoming album “Eternal Buzz.” Streamer and singer IShowSpeed also had a notable appearance, performing his 2022 anthem, “World Cup.”
Jennifer Hudson delivered the U.S. national anthem, showcasing her vocal power. Later, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, and Laura Pausini collaborated on another official FIFA theme song, “Desire.” The closing ceremony also included a pre-match concert designed for television, although initial wide shots showed empty seating as fans were still entering the stadium.
IShowSpeed contributed significantly to the energy of the pre-match show, performing “World Cup (Champions)” and interacting with a golden football. He appeared genuinely enthusiastic, a sentiment that had been evident throughout the tournament, as he engaged with supporters in various languages.
Post Malone performed “Chrome Heartbreaker” to a crowd that was still filling the stadium, followed by Swae Lee performing “Sunflower” alongside dancers. The stadium became full as Jennifer Hudson sang the U.S. national anthem, followed by Williams, Pausini, and Scherzinger performing “Desire” with fireworks and flags representing the participating nations.
The closing ceremony concluded with an appearance by Tom Cruise, who addressed the crowd, emphasizing football’s role in uniting people. He spoke about the tournament bringing the world together, highlighting the sport as a language without words that turns strangers into friends, before the final match between Spain and Argentina commenced.
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Source: variety.com
Priya Nair
Sports Reporter
