BTS, Shakira & Madonna Will Headline FIFA World Cup Halftime Show

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These global artists are ready to have a ball. 

BTS, Shakira, and Madonna are scheduled to perform at the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, taking place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19th.

For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, the Halftime Show will benefit a good cause: the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. FIFA announced on Instagram on May 14th that this new initiative aims to raise $100 million to help children worldwide get access to both quality education and the opportunity to play football.

The upcoming World Cup will feature a spectacular halftime show led by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and for every ticket purchased, $1 will be donated to charity. The tournament begins on June 11th and will be hosted in cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In a YouTube video, Chris shared his vision for the halftime show, explaining with the help of Elmo and the Muppets that it will feature singing, dancing, and music, and celebrate the diversity of people.

The singer hinted that the halftime show will definitely include some surprises.

Shakira has performed at the World Cup before – her song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” was the official theme in 2010. However, this will be Madonna’s first time performing at the event. The performance comes as the 67-year-old singer gets ready to release her new album, Confessions II, on July 3rd.

BTS’s song “Yet to Come” was also part of the 2022 World Cup promotions. Currently, the group is on their Arirang World Tour and will perform at the World Cup halftime show immediately after completing their concerts in Europe.

On May 14th, the band announced on Instagram that they’ll be performing at the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, alongside Shakira and Madonna!

Excited about seeing the famous boy band at the World Cup Halftime Show? Keep reading to learn more about these K-Pop superstars!

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys and an acronym for Beyond the Scene, is a seven-member group—RM, Suga, Jimin, Jin, Jungkook, J-Hope, and V—that formed in 2013 when they were all teenagers. The group—comprising three rappers and four singers—has revolutionized K-pop by writing and performing songs that address personal and social issues, a departure from the typically polished and aspirational themes of the genre. This has propelled them to become the biggest K-pop group globally. They’ve achieved unprecedented success, including four consecutive number-one albums on the U.S. Billboard 200—a first for any Korean act—and becoming the first group since The Beatles to earn three albums in under a year. BTS has collaborated with major artists like Nicki Minaj and Halsey, performed on Saturday Night Live, and even addressed the United Nations. Their single “Dynamite,” their first song entirely in English, finally earned them a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, a long-held ambition.

The girl group, consisting of Rose, Jennie, Lisa, and Jisoo, has achieved global success similar to BTS. Since their debut in August 2016, they’ve become the highest-ranking female K-pop group on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts. They’ve collaborated with major artists like Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, and Cardi B, and have made appearances on popular shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Good Morning America. They were the first K-pop girl group featured on the cover of Billboard magazine, and their music videos have broken numerous YouTube records. In 2019, they made history as the first K-pop girl group to perform at the Coachella festival (Epik High was the first K-pop group overall, performing in 2016). If you want to experience their talent, check out their hit single “Lovesick Girls” and its impressive music video from their debut album, The Album – you won’t be disappointed.

Looking for some K-pop glamour? Meet TWICE, a nine-member group based in Seoul. The members include Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu. TWICE is a hugely popular group from South Korea, known for hit songs like “TT,” “Cheer Up,” “Likey,” and “The Feels.” They’ve achieved incredible milestones, including being the first K-pop girl group to sell out the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the first to perform at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

Alongside BTS, the group GOT7 – consisting of JB, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Youngyeom – has achieved significant success. They debuted in January 2014 and are known for their diverse international backgrounds, with members from Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the United States. In April 2016, GOT7 became the first Korean group since PSY to appear on the Billboard Artist 100 chart, which ranks artists based on sales, streaming, radio play, and social media. If you’d like to experience their music, check out their popular song “Lullaby,” which has garnered over 110 million views on YouTube.

Besides BTS, another popular group is Exo, which originally had 12 members divided into two sub-groups – Exo-K and Exo-M – performing in Korean and Mandarin. Since 2014, the group has streamlined to nine members: Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun. When they debuted in 2012, they were presented with a fantastical story about being extraterrestrial beings with superpowers. Beyond the elaborate concept, Exo is recognized for their innovative music, where each song offers a unique sound. A good example of their style is the reggae-influenced track, “Ko Ko Bop.”

This girl group first started in 2007 and has evolved their music over the years. They began with a bright, energetic electropop sound, but have since blended in elements of EDM, hip-hop, and R&B. They gained international recognition in 2013 when their song “I Got a Boy” won Video of the Year at the first YouTube Music Awards. Billboard later recognized them as the best K-pop girl group of the 2010s. If you want to hear what made them famous, check out their hit song “Gee.” The group consists of Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun.

The seven members of Monsta X – Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, and I.M. – were chosen by fans through a South Korean reality competition show called No.Mercy. The group’s name, Monsta X, has two meanings: it represents “monsters taking over the K-pop world” and also plays on the French word for “my,” creating “my star.” Known for their sophisticated performances, Monsta X offers a more mature style compared to many other K-pop boy groups. In 2018, they made history as the first K-pop group to perform at KIIS-FM’s Jingle Ball.

The eight-member group, consisting of Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho, debuted in October 2018. Before their release, a YouTube series showed their training process in Los Angeles. Despite the name sounding like it refers to the 1920s, it actually means “A TEEnager Z”—an improvement over their original name, KQ Fellaz, which was based on their company, KQ Entertainment. You can see their impressive choreography in the music video for “Say My Name.”

Despite being called ‘Seventeen,’ this group actually consists of 13 members. They’re divided into three smaller teams – Hip-Hop, Vocal, and Performance – each with a specific focus. Before they officially debuted in May 2015 with a live performance, fans could watch the members training on a show called Seventeen TV. Known for writing their own songs – a trait that makes them ‘self-producing’ – they quickly became prominent in the American K-pop world, even without topping the charts. Just two years into their career, they earned a prestigious spot as the closing act for one night at KCON 2017 LA, a major K-pop convention in Los Angeles. If you want to see their incredible synchronized dancing, check out the music video for their smooth song, ‘Home’.

Since debuting in 2005, this five-member group has become a global phenomenon, selling over 140 million records worldwide – surpassing even iconic groups like the Backstreet Boys and the Jackson Five. They made history as the first Korean artists to be featured on Forbes’ lists of top celebrities and influential musicians under 30, in 2016 and 2017. The group faced challenges in early 2019 when member Seungri retired from the entertainment industry following allegations of involvement in a prostitution ring, leading them to continue as a four-member group.

This girl group, consisting of 12 members, first launched in 2016, initially performing as three smaller units. It wasn’t until 2018, with the release of their debut EP, [++], that all twelve vocalists came together as a complete group. You can see them perform their popular and uniquely-titled lead single, “favOriTe,” in the official music video.

This popular K-pop group, originally a five-member band now consisting of four, is known as the Princes of K-pop due to their significant influence in South Korea. They started in 2008 with a modern R&B style, but have since explored various genres like funk rock, hip-hop, and EDM. In 2011, they made history as the first Asian artists to perform at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. Sadly, in December 2017, the group suffered a great loss with the death of member Jonghyun.

Oh my gosh, Red Velvet! They’re just… everything! Seriously, Seulgi, Irene, Wendy, Joy, and Yeri perfectly capture all the different sides of being a woman. Their music is so cool because they switch between these super bright, poppy vibes – that’s their ‘Red’ side – and then this really sophisticated, R&B sound, which is their ‘Velvet’ side. I still remember when “Happiness” dropped in 2014 – it was produced by Chad Hugo from The Neptunes, can you believe it?! And “Dumb Dumb” in 2015? It was the ONLY non-English video to make Rolling Stone’s Top 10 Music Videos of the year! They’re just breaking records left and right. In 2019, they did a full North American tour – the first K-pop girl group to do that in three years! And get this – Ellie Goulding and Diplo actually asked them to remix “Close to Me” and add Korean lyrics! They’re just… iconic, honestly.

NCT is a unique project in the world of K-pop. It’s not a single group, but rather a system with an unlimited number of members divided into different sub-units based in cities around the globe. These sub-units include NCT U, which changes members depending on the project; NCT 127, based in Seoul; NCT Dream, a youth-focused group with members who leave when they turn 18; and WayV, which is based in China. NCT stands for Neo Culture Technology. You can see the group’s ambitious vision in the music video for “Make a Wish (Birthday Song).”

This group, formed by SM Entertainment in 2019, quickly gained a large following because all seven members were already well-known from previous boy bands. These included Taemin from SHINee, Baekhyun and Kai from EXO, Taeyong and Mark from NCT 127, and Ten and Lucas from WayV. Often called the ‘Avengers of K-Pop,’ they made history with their debut EP, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart – a first for any Asian artist on their first release. In September 2020, they released their first full album, Super One, and partnered with Marvel for a special merchandise collection.

The group, consisting of Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai, started their career in 2019 with the EP The Dream Chapter: Star. This release impressively reached No. 140 on the Billboard 200 chart for a new group, and they have released six more albums since then.

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2026-05-14 17:18