The internet reacts to the first-ever World Cup Halftime show

July 20, 2026

A general view during the Topps Final Halftime Show in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026

The FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is living up to the hype. And to add to the festivities was a fun but odd sight in the world of association football: a halftime show.

Soccer is normally a brisk sport, but with this edition of the World Cup being co-hosted in the U.S. (the first World Cup in the US since 1994), it's fallen into the American Sports Entertainment Vortex™. Which isn't a bad thing, minus the universal dislike for the hydration breaks, which many commentators have pointed out are glorified commercial breaks for the Fox network.

But given the lineup — Madonna, BTS, Shakira, and Justin Bieber, with a Muppets cameo and a Ted Lasso intro thrown in for good measure — the World Cup's first-ever halftime show was just fine.

The whole thing clocked in at under six minutes, which somehow made it funnier: FIFA spent months hyping a halftime show shorter than the ad break before it. The internet noticed — as did football commentators — and acted accordingly.

Madonna kicks us off

Ronaldinho, Madonna and Ronaldo appear during the World Cup final halftime show.

Ronaldinho, Madonna. and Ronaldo. Credit: Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

Madonna's entrance into the World Cup halftime was mostly prerecorded, with the music icon choosing her 2000 hit “Music," instead of tracks from new album Confessions II. She was also seen on an ATV with football legends Ronaldinho and R9, which was a strange sight.

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BTS brings the dynamite

BTS perform during the World Cup final halftime show.

Credit: Florencia Tan Jun / Getty Images

Probably the most anticipated performance, depending on who you ask, BTS did a quick and dirty set, performing "Dynamite" from their album BE.

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Ted Lasso x Justin Bieber?

'Ted Lasso' stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendon Hunt beside Justin Bieber during the World Cup final halftime show.

'Ted Lasso' stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendon Hunt introduced Justin Bieber. Credit: Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

After the hype from the quick BTS appearance, Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendon Hunt did a quick intro for Justin Bieber, "subbing" him into the halftime show as some much-needed heart to the game. Bieber's song choice, 2025's "Everything Hallelujah," unfortunately slowed things down, and viewers were not kind about it.

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Shakira is here

Shakira performs during the World Cup final halftime show.

Shakira performed alongside Burna Boy. Credit: Lars Baron / Getty Images

Shakira finally made her appearance alongside her official FIFA World Cup theme collaborator, Burna Boy, to perform "Dai Dai."

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If you missed the World Cup halftime show, you can watch it on Mashable.

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The internet reacts to the first-ever World Cup Halftime show

Madonna kicks us off

BTS brings the dynamite

Ted Lasso x Justin Bieber?

Shakira is here

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The internet reacts to the first-ever World Cup Halftime show

Madonna kicks us off

BTS brings the dynamite

Ted Lasso x Justin Bieber?

Shakira is here

Previous Article

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