Although the FIFA World Cup 2026 concluded several days ago, discussions surrounding BTS's Halftime Show performance remain as lively as ever. Taking the stage in striking all-red outfits, BTS electrified the stadium with their global smash нιт "Dynamite." What made the performance even more memorable was the group's clever modification of several original lyrics, incorporating football-themed phrases such as "kick the ball" and "a football match." The creative changes not only perfectly matched the spirit of the event but also highlighted the group's remarkably powerful live vocals.
The New York Times (NYT) described the atmosphere, writing, "The stadium crowd responded with cheers that could hardly have been more exuberant." Meanwhile, Billboard showered the group with praise, stating that BTS energized the au∂ιєnce by choosing the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 нιт "Dynamite." Even more impressively, Google searches for BTS reportedly more than doubled compared to the group's comeback in March, demonstrating the enormous global impact of their World Cup Halftime Show performance.
Even celebrities both inside and outside South кσяєα reacted enthusiastically to BTS's performance. вяαzιℓian football legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Nazário personally praised the group at the event, while Norwegian striker Erling Haaland also left a comment. Singer Halsey, television host Jimmy Fallon, and actresses Jung Ho Yeon and Lee Sung Kyung, among others, shared their admiration for BTS's stage on Instagram. Their reactions further reflected just how highly the group's performance was regarded.
However, despite the tremendous impact BTS made during the Halftime Show, many fans believe FIFA itself appears to be overlooking the group's influence. The organization is now facing heavy criticism from fans over what they describe as unfair promotion of BTS, despite the group being one of the Halftime Show's co-headlining acts.
Specifically, according to fans' observations, FIFA's official Instagram account has spent the past several hours posting highlights from the final as well as memorable halftime performances. What has drawn criticism is that nearly every performing artist received individual photos or dedicated Reel videos celebrating their performance on FIFA's official account—except for BTS. Instead of receiving their own dedicated post, BTS only appeared for a few seconds in a short compilation video featuring multiple performers. Even more notably, the video did not include "Dynamite," the very song BTS performed during the Halftime Show.
A similar situation unfolded on FIFA's official X (formerly Twitter) account. In a series of posts following the final, FIFA shared individual photos of Shakira, Madonna, Burna Boy, and Justin Bieber, yet BTS was noticeably absent despite also serving as co-headliners of the Halftime Show. Fans further pointed out that throughout this year's World Cup, artists who performed at tournament events were consistently given individual posts across FIFA's official website and social media platforms.
The apparent difference in promotional treatment quickly sparked outrage among ARMY across social media. Many argued that FIFA had treated BTS differently from the other performers. Some even accused the organization of deliberately "overlooking" or "downplaying" the group's influence, despite BTS receiving widespread attention from international media outlets and the general public following their performance.
ARMY refused to stay silent over FIFA's handling of the situation and soon began circulating a widely shared message that read: “BTS were heavily featured in the build-up because everyone knew their name would bring global attention and mαѕѕive engagement. They showed up, delivered one of the most talked about performances of the tournament, trended worldwide, and had locals searching for BTS across platforms. Yet not a single dedicated post. Not a single dedicated reel celebrating that performance. It's disappointing when artists are highlighted to build anticipation, but once they have done their part, they are barely acknowledged. Recognition shouldn't disappear after the cameras stop rolling. Give BTS the credit they earned.”
Many other fans also flooded social media with comments demanding fair treatment and proper recognition for the K-pop superstars:
- You can use them for views and then not give them the respect and courtesy of a photo alongside their other co-headliners, won’t stop them from donating their time and effort for a good cause but you go ahead and be rude and disrespectful to this group
- Did you forget the biggest artist performance? They flew straight from their SOLD OUT Paris stadium concert for you. This genuinely pisses me off
- I’m upset that FIFA has not posted an instagram reel of BTS’ performance yesterday and they posted reels of all the other performances. Not cool. Idk why they do this.
- Now, I'm I surprised that this is still happening in 2026, at first I was, but now I'm not because these organisations have made the choice to downplay/ undermine BTS in ways they think people won't notice. But actually we do.
- Fifaworldcup is disrespecting a group that flew from Paris and barely spent 24 hours in US to play for FREE
- Over 24 hours later, and still nothing? Why am I not surprised? Petty and pathetic
- Didnf know they were acting shady ? After all these months of taking clout
- It’s not just about a мιѕѕιиg instagram reel—it’s about the consistent pattern of using bts for global noise and foot traffic, then systematically excluding them from official recaps once the event is over. the disrespect needs to be called out.
