Watch Madonna, the Muppets, and More Perform at 2026 World Cup Final Halftime

The 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a close on Sunday after over a month of intense gameplay. But before Spain beat defending champion Argentina, another major spectacle was in order: the first-ever World Cup Halftime Show. The inaugural event featured performances from Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Justin Bieber, and the Muppets. (Yes, Miss Piggy donned a pink jersey.) Watch the show in full here.

Madonna kicked off the show with “Music,” the title track of her 2000 album, as Brazilian soccer legends (and former World Cup champions) Ronaldo and Ronaldinho escorted her onto the field. Her brief set then quickly transitioned into a performance from a portion of the Muppets’ house band, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, who laid down a cover of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” The troupe was led by Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

Once Janice, Animal, and co. wrapped up their number, it was BTS time: the K-pop juggernauts appeared on the field to sing their hit single “Dynamite.” Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt then popped up in character as Ted Lasso and Coach Beard to introduce Justin Bieber, who performed the SWAG track “Everything Hallelujah” on acoustic guitar, changing the lyrics of the song to “World Cup hallelujah” to mark the moment.

Next up were Shakira and Burna Boy with a take on their official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem “Dai Dai.” For the halftime show’s big finish, Chris Martin, Shakira, and the Muppets sang “We Believe” alongside a children’s chorus, as the world “Love”—with an “O” stylized to look like Earth—was broadcast onto the field.

The opening ceremony included even more artists. Jennifer Hudson delivered a rousing rendition of the National Anthem, before Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini came together to sing “Desire,” a number from the 2026 FIFA World Cup soundtrack. Post Malone also took the field—in a shirt reading “I Just Hope Both Teams Have Fun”—to debut a new song allegedly titled “Chrome Heartbreak” and sing older hits, including “Wow.” He concluded his set by bringing out Swae Lee for a performance of their 2018 collaboration “Sunflower.”

Despite all the artists in attendance, not everyone in the music world was so hot on the halftime set. In an Instagram post shared ahead of the game’s kickoff, Robert Smith of the Cure aired some grievances with the performance along with FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s characterization of the show as a “groundbreaking spectacle” that will “celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle.” Smith’s thoughts? “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH… #Breadandcircuses #MUGWANK #pleasejustfuckoff.” (We are uncertain about the official definition of “mugwank,” but the sentiment came through clear as day.)