ByMadeline Halpert
Reporting fromNew York
Pop superstar Madonna and Justin Bieber have entertained the thousands of spectators at the 2026 World Cup half-time show.
Madonna sung her hit song Music – seeming to appear from tunnels under the arena.
Justin Bieber, BTS and Shakira also wowed the crowds.
The half-time was 27 minutes and 22 seconds – the longest in World Cup history.
Madonna began the World Cup’s half-time show
Justin Bieber played guitar in his segment
Colombian pop star Shakira and Nigerian musician Burna Boy reunited on stage after performing together at the tournament’s opening ceremony in Mexico City last month.
Shakira and Burna Boy’s collaboration, Dai Dai, has been a global chart hit a fixture in stadiums throughout the tournament
K-Pop group BTS have been making their comeback from a three-year music hiatus to complete their mandatory military service in South Korea. The band is currently in the midst of an 85-date world tour.
The half-time show has been curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and will raise money for the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise $100m (£73m) for children worldwide.
South Korean K-pop group BTS
The stadium was a riot of colour for the half-time show, with fireworks ringing the stadium
Several celebrities were spotted watching on, including Kylie Jenner and her boyfriend Timothee Chalamet, as well as Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner
Jay-Z and Beyonce
Anya Taylor-Joy was seen with her husband US musician Malcolm McRae
Earlier, a range of performances began the sporting event’s closing ceremony, including Jennifer Hudson singing the national anthem and a speech from actor Tom Cruise.
Streamer IShowSpeed took to the field at the New York New Jersey Stadium first, alongside drummers and dancers in vibrant tracksuits.
Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and Italian Singer Laura Pausini also performed together, while rapper and singer Post Malone also performed his hit song Wow.
Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and Italian Singer Laura Pausini performed together
Tom Cruise spoke about the power of football to unite people
Jennifer Hudson sings the national anthem before the match
Former football star David Beckham and his wife, singer Victoria Beckahm, watched the game with actor Tom Cruise,
Ahead of kick-off, multi-award-winning singer and actor Jennifer Hudson performed the US national anthem, accompanied by a live band.
After the performances, Tom Cruise took to the stage to introduce the match.
“From every corner of the globe, we have witnessed greatness, and we have shared in moments of joy,” he told the crowd. “Football is a language spoken without words, a force that unites people.”
Post Malone was joined by rapper Swae Lee to sing their hit song Sunflower
US actress Jessica Alba and US actor Danny Ramirez attended the game
Italian singer Pausini told the BBC’s Carl Nasman that she’s “very excited” and “proud” to be performing alongside Williams and Scherzinger at the closing ceremony.
“When Robbie [Williams] invited me to sing with him, I felt goosebumps everywhere because Robbie’s one of my favorite singer, songwriter, and performer,” Pausini told the BBC.
Not everyone was thrilled by the performances. Former England player Wayne Rooney, who was part of the commentary team for the BBC, said: “I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap.”
The start of the closing ceremony featured a lot of gold at the beginning
Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump joined the Fifa boss Gianni Infantino
