Nigerian music star Burna Boy took the stage during FIFA’s first-ever halftime show at the World Cup final on Sunday. He performed alongside Shakira as football embraced a new form of entertainment, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
Burna Boy and Shakira sang the tournament’s official song, ‘Dai, Dai’. They closed a star-studded show at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This performance happened during the break of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina.
They also performed during the opening ceremony but this time, Uganda’s Ghetto Kids joined them for the dance routines.
The historic halftime show featured pop legend Madonna, who kicked off the entertainment after the first half ended without goals. Justin Bieber also took the stage to perform an acoustic version of ‘Everything Hallelujah’.
Brazil football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho made special appearances, driving onto the pitch to loud cheers from the excited crowd. These two, part of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning team, have been seen at matches throughout the tournament, even after Brazil's exit in the last-16 against Norway.
The halftime show, organized by Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin, lasted 27 minutes and 19 seconds. This is much longer than the usual 15-minute halftime break set by FIFA rules.
The longer break and the new halftime entertainment have sparked mixed reactions. FIFA’s choice to change parts of the tournament, including longer hydration breaks and this first halftime show, has led to some discussions.
Joseph Yobo, former captain of the Super Eagles, was a pundit for Sporty TV during the final. He welcomed this new idea but said it should not disrupt the game’s flow.
“I would love to see more of it as long as it doesn’t eat into the stipulated duration of the game,” Yobo said.
Former England striker Ian Wright also shared his thoughts on the event. He joked about “Ronaldinho’s tracksuit looking massive.” Meanwhile, ex-Manchester United captain Roy Keane said he felt a bit let down by the show.
“It was a bit of an anti-climax, but listen, it’s so nice to see Shakira,” Keane said.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇