World Cup final half-time show confirmed as Coldplay icon reveals three chosen artists

The first ever World Cup final half-time show will be co-headlined by Shakira, Madonna and BTS, FIFA announced early on Thursday morning. The blend of music from Latin, pop and Korea is seen as a collaboration that best reflects sounds from around the globe. The World Cup final will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The artists for the World Cup half-time show were selected by Coldplay lead Chris Martin, who shared the line-up in a video on social media that featured characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets. He told Elmo: “It’s a chance to show how amazing all different kinds of humans are.” Madonna is the winner of seven Grammy Awards with her music career dating back decades whilst Colombian sensation Shakira has won four herself. BTS was the first K-pop group to receive a Grammy nomination. Madonna headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012, and Shakira shared the Super Bowl stage with Jennifer Lopez in 2020. That concept, which is common place in the NFL, will now filter into football as North American looks to combine sport and high profile entertainment. FIFA and Global Citizen conducted a trial half-time show at MetLife Stadium last summer during final of the FIFA Club World Cup, where Chelsea beat PSG. On that occasion it included the American rapper Doja Cat, the Nigerian singer Tems and the Colombian artist J Balvin. The performers sang from a stage that was built into the stands, but there is talk that the pitch could be used this summer, forcing a change to football's tradition schedule. Half-time during the final could therefore be notably longer than the standard 15 minutes. It would be the first time that the tournament will ignore the sport's usual quarter of an hour pause to put on entertainment. In last year's Club World Cup final the half-time break lasted just over 24 minutes, rather than the 15 minutes that is set out in the Laws of the Game, as a result of the half-time entertainment. Now that the plans are announced several of those involved in the final will need to make amendments to their usual strategy. Coaches will have to consider how they conduct team talks with the break now longer than usual. Those involved in sports science will have to consider how the extended pause will impact on players. Broadcasters will have a longer half-time period, which will alter their programming and schedules.