As fans already know, according to an announcement from Global Citizen and FIFA on May 14, BTS will officially take the stage as headliners for the halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North αмєяι¢α. BTS, along with Madonna and Shakira, were selected as the artists set to light up the stage on July 19 at MetLife Stadium.
The artist selection for this performance was overseen by Chris Martin — the lead vocalist of Coldplay. He appeared alongside Muppet characters such as Elmo, Miss Piggy, and Kermit to reveal the lineup in a special video released on social media. BTS also made a surprise appearance through a FaceTime call in the video, where Chris personally called out each member by name and invited them to join the show before RM confidently confirmed, "We'll be there Chris for sure".
This will mark the first time in history that a FIFA World Cup Final will feature a halftime show similar to the Super Bowl, and BTS will also become the first K-pop act to headline such a global mega-event. Meanwhile, among the BTS members, Jungkook already has experience performing at the World Cup through his нιт song “Dreamers” at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. However, this time, all seven members will stand on the stage together, making the experience feel undeniably different.
After the news spread widely, the BTS members shared their thoughts on this historic opportunity for the first time through BigHit Music. The group stated: "It is a great honor to stand on such a meaningful stage where the whole world comes together. We believe that music is a universal language that conveys hope and harmony. It is even more meaningful to be able to share that message with global viewers through this World Cup and contribute to expanding educational opportunities for children."
It has been revealed that this halftime show is being organized by Global Citizen in collaboration with Chris Martin in order to raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund — a project aiming to raise $100 million USD to expand access to education and football opportunities for children around the world. So far, the fund has raised over $30 million, with $1 from every World Cup ticket sold being directly donated to the initiative.
In fact, BTS has maintained a close relationship with Global Citizen for many years. In 2021, the group participated in Global Citizen Live with performances that created global buzz. Then in 2023, Jungkook appeared at the Global Citizen Festival in New York as one of the main performers.
Not only that, BTS and its members have repeatedly participated in global social campaigns and delivered iconic speeches at the United Nations on topics such as education, youth, and equality — values that closely align with Global Citizen’s mission. Therefore, it is not surprising that Global Citizen and BTS are once again joining forces for a global and meaningful event like the 2026 World Cup. The stage itself also marks yet another historic milestone in the group’s global career.
On the other hand, the World Cup Final is widely known as the most-watched sporting event in the world each year. The 2022 FIFA World Cup Final in Qatar attracted more than 500 million live viewers worldwide, far surpαѕѕing the Super Bowl — the event traditionally known for holding television viewership records. For comparison, the most-watched Super Bowl in history — the 2025 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs — averaged 127.71 million viewers.
All of this has only heightened fans’ anticipation and excitement for the performance by the seven K-pop superstars. Across social media, fans have continuously expressed their joy and pride, writing:
- Like BTS says- “This is international, make it unforgettable”. BTS paved the way
- Let’s Rock Football’ss biggest stage! Can’t wait for another epic performance!
- Jungkook giving us the hint already! I’m so excited and proud of boys
- This is going to be the biggest Half Time event at the FIFA World Cup !!! With Queens of Pop Madonna and Shakira performing along with kings of kpop BTS
- BTS on the first-ever FIFA World Cup Halftime Show in 2026?! This is going to be legendary. Can't wait to see them perform on the biggest stage!
- It’s really so cool ! I wonder which song they will perform, even if I have a little idea, I think it will necessarily be Swim, which is the main song of the album
- The best decision ever to invite BTS !!!! BTS AT WORLD CUP 2026. BTS PAVED THE WAY. BTS THE LEGENDS
- Jungkook is the first K-pop solo artist to perform at the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. BTS is the first K-pop group to take the lead role in the FIFA World Cup show. BTS ALWAYS PAVED THE WAY
- This is the first time the World Cup is holding a Halftime Show, so proud that Bangtan is one of the 3 performers and sharing the stage with the legends
- For 96 years, the World Cup Final had no halftime show & now in 2026, FIFA breaks tradition & picks #BTS to headline the FIRST EVER ONE
- From Jungkook opening the last world cup to BTS closing this years World Cup. This is so f*cking legendary
