Justin Bieber Will Join The World Cup Final Halftime Show
Justin Bieber has been confirmed as a co-headliner of the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, joining Madonna, Shakira, and BTS for what is shaping up to be one of the most-watched musical performances in history. The show takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during the World Cup final, runs for 11 minutes, and is expected to be watched by a couple of billion people worldwide. Also performing are Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus — a choir of 4th and 5th graders from a Staten Island public elementary school — and Coldplay, with the entire show curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin. Sesame Street and The Muppets will also feature. "The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can," Bieber said. "I'm grateful to be part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful knowing it's already helping expand access to education for children around the world."
The show supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising $100 million to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children worldwide. More than $50 million has already been raised, with $1 from every World Cup ticket sold being donated to the fund. FIFA President Gianni Infantino called it "definitely the biggest stage ever." The halftime format is a first for a World Cup, inspired by the Super Bowl halftime show model, though at 11 minutes it would be slightly shorter than most recent Super Bowl performances. Shakira and Burna Boy already performed their official World Cup song "Dai Dai" at the opening ceremony in Mexico City last month. For the final, the whole world shows up. So does Justin Bieber.
