BTS became one of the biggest attractions at the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday as the group performed during the tournament’s first ever halftime show. The performance took place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during the break between the first and second halves of the final match between Argentina and Spain. The special halftime event introduced a new entertainment format for the championship match, bringing together football and live music on one stage.
Unlike the usual halftime break, the World Cup final featured an extended interval to make room for the live performances. BTS took the stage as one of the headline acts and performed a shorter version of its global hit “Dynamite.” The song became the group’s first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single in 2020 and remains one of its most popular tracks around the world. Fans inside the stadium welcomed the performance with loud cheers, while viewers watching from different countries shared clips and reactions on social media.
The halftime show was produced in partnership with Global Citizen and was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Along with BTS, the lineup included Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and Burna Boy. The event brought together artists from different music genres, creating a diverse performance that added entertainment to one of football’s biggest nights.
The show ended with a special collaborative performance featuring all the artists on stage together. BTS joined Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy, Chris Martin and New York City’s PS22 Chorus, a choir from a public elementary school on Staten Island, for the closing performance. The final act brought all the performers together and marked the end of the halftime show before the football match resumed.
BTS performs "Dynamite" at the FIFA #WorldCup Final Halftime Show
— Variety (@Variety) July 19, 2026
(via FOX) pic.twitter.com/wYmvwYwKX9
BTS’s appearance at the World Cup final came shortly after the group completed the European leg of its tour. The concerts in Paris attracted around 720,000 audience members, making it another major achievement for the group. Their World Cup performance added another important event to an already busy schedule.
After performing at the World Cup final, BTS is expected to continue the US leg of its tour with concerts in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Aug. 1 and 2. Their appearance at the tournament highlighted the group’s continued global popularity and gave football fans another memorable moment during the championship final.