Squint, and you’d think you were looking at the Super Bowl: A stage set up in the middle of the field of an American stadium, some of the biggest names in music — Madonna, BTS, Shakira, Justin Bieber — putting on an 11-minute show for millions (possibly billions) watching at the halfway point of a huge sporting event.
What this actually was, of course, was the FIFA World Cup’s first-ever halftime show, held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey between the two halves of the final between Argentina and Spain. And while the event itself was pure Americana (alongside the championship rings players received; very NFL-esque), the performance was a showcase of global talent, a nod to the record 48 countries that battled it out to reach this final.
The proceeds of this show, sponsored by collectible marketplace Topps, will raise $100 million US for FIFA’s efforts to create more soccer opportunities for children. And, while it’s not quite clear what the job entails, the performance was “curated” by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who played the Club World Cup Final halftime show last year.
Not watching — or tuned out after the scoreless first half? Here’s everything you missed from the World Cup halftime show, advertised by FIFA as a “landmark celebration at the intersection of sport, music and global impact.”
#1. It was a bit controversial
Before Bieber, Madonna or Shakira ever took the stage, the very existence of this halftime show was a source of some controversy. That’s because it’s not just the first time this has ever been done for the World Cup; the 11-minute show meant that the break between halves stretched to nearly 30 minutes. For footballing purists, that’s a problem: International rules state that the maximum stoppage time should be 15 minutes.
#2. Madonna opened proceedings … under the stadium
“Hey Mister DJ …” The show kicked off to the strains of Madonna’s “Music” before the pop icon appeared herself, dancing in a neon-lit set in the bowels of MetLife. She eventually made it to the pitch in a pink dune buggy driven by none other than soccer legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo in the driver’s seat. The repeated refrain from the song, “music makes the people come together,” set the tone for a show that was heavy on unity messaging.
#3. The Muppets jammed with an orchestra led by Gustavo Dudamel
The show hit the actual pitch with Animal on the drums, the Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor with the baton, and the instantly recognizable bassline of The White Stripes’ dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-ing for a slightly surreal musical pairing of classical music and The Muppets. Against a rainbow-hued globe projected onto the pitch — underscoring that ‘unity’ theme again — the performers soon segued into the group “row” made famous by Norwegian fans at this tournament, the musicians using their instruments as makeshift oars.
#4. BTS kept the energy high — before Bieber brought it down
K-pop superstars BTS were up next, dancing through a spirited rendition of their biggest hit, “Dynamite.” In a nice touch for the moment, the group switched up a lyric that usually references a “game of ping pong” to “iced tea and a game of football.”
And then, introduced by Jason Sudeikis in character as football coach Ted Lasso, there was a sub on the board for ‘JB,’ otherwise known as co-host Canada’s contribution to this show, Justin Bieber. In a move that will have surprised no one who watched his controversially chill Coachella set, the pop star dispensed with high-energy hits like “Baby” and decided to stroll the field with an acoustic guitar, crooning the more obscure “Everything Hallelujah.” The audible chatter of the crowd could be heard in the background as he modified a lyric to “It’s the World Cup, hallelujah.”
#5. Shakira and Burna Boy closed things out in a very Coldplay finale
The energetic lull that followed Bieber was quickly absorbed by a high-energy Shakira, who was joined by Nigerian artist Burna Boy for their hit, “Dai Dai.” The field was filled by dancers, in rainbow shades, and joined by a kids’ choir from nearby Staten Island who closed the show with an ode, once more, to unity. Miss Piggy and Kermit, perched on a piano, made a cameo as they duetted, “I am you, and you are me.”
It all ended with a zoomed-out shot of the stadium, the word ‘love’ spelled out on the pitch. From the waving flags to the sincere message, it all bore the mark of the “curator,” Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who joined in at the very end.
