LONDON, May 14 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) — Global superstars Madonna and Shakira and South Korean boy band BTS will headline the first World Cup final half-time show, reported PA Media/dpa.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who revealed the line-up via a social media video featuring characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets, is the curator of the landmark performance.
The World Cup final is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who also shared details of the event in an Instagram post, announced plans for the show in March last year.
It could lead to the half-time interval during the final lasting longer than the customary 15 minutes.
The show will be staged in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise US$100 million to expand access to education and football for children around the world.
Half-time entertainment has become a major feature of sporting events in the United States (US), notably during the Super Bowl.
Madonna headlined the Super Bowl half-time show in 2012, while Shakira shared the stage with Jennifer Lopez at the event in 2020.
Last summer, FIFA staged a half-time show at the MetLife Stadium during the Club World Cup final, when Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0.
The biggest World Cup, featuring 48 teams, kicks off on June 11 and is being hosted across the US, Canada and Mexico.
— BERNAMA-PA MEDIA/dpa