Justin Bieber added to FIFA's blockbuster World Cup final show
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Just when it looked like FIFA had finished assembling its all-star cast, it has pulled another global superstar out of the bag.
Justin Bieber has officially joined the line-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final half-time show, adding yet another huge name to what is already shaping up to be one of the biggest live performances ever staged at a sporting event.
The Canadian singer will take to the stage alongside Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay and even the Sesame Street Muppets during the 11-minute spectacle at MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey on the 19th of July.
The performance will make history as the first-ever Super Bowl-style half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final, with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin helping curate the event in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The initiative aims to raise $100 million to improve access to education for children around the world, with the show expected to be watched by hundreds of millions of viewers globally.
"The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can," Bieber said following the announcement.
His inclusion feels particularly significant given his gradual return to live performance. After cancelling the remainder of his Justice World Tour in 2022 due to health issues, Bieber has largely stayed away from major concerts, making each appearance feel like an event in itself.
Earlier this year, he made his biggest return yet with a nostalgic Coachella set, revisiting early hits including Baby, Never Say Never, One Time and Beauty and a Beat, reminding fans why he became one of the defining pop stars of his generation.
For FIFA, Bieber's arrival only strengthens an already extraordinary bill. Madonna brings decades of pop history, Shakira is arguably football's most iconic musical performer thanks to Waka Waka, BTS remains one of the biggest acts on the planet, and Burna Boy returns following his performances at the tournament's opening ceremony. Together, it's a line-up designed to appeal to every corner of the globe.
The only lingering question is how FIFA plans to squeeze so many headline performers into an 11-minute show without anyone feeling short-changed.
As for the football, the tournament is reaching its dramatic conclusion, with the remaining nations battling for a place in the final while Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane continue their race for the Golden Boot.
Regardless of who eventually lifts the trophy, the final is now guaranteed to deliver one of the most star-studded half-time shows football has ever seen. With Bieber now on board, FIFA's first attempt at bringing a Super Bowl-style spectacle to the World Cup has become even harder to ignore.
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