Shakira, Madonna, and BTS to co-headline FIFA halftime show: A look at the top 5 performers of all time

Anthems have a long tradition of bringing people together and representing a community, but only a few can make people get up and dance their hearts out. Many prominent singers, across the globe, have collaborated to perform their songs at the FIFA World Cup. In 2026, Shakira, Madonna, and BTS will co-headline at the Final Halftime Show in New Jersey, USA. The performance will be curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay. However, there have been many performers in the past that the fans just can’t get over. Let’s take a look at the top 5 FIFA World Cup performers of all time.

You just can’t escape the infectious rabbit hole of unmatched ‘Waka Waka’ – and that’s just the truth. Shakira stunned the entire globe with the upbeat Afro-fusion, becoming the official FIFA World Cup song in 2010, held in South Africa. Whether it’s “Waka waka, eh, eh” lyrics or the dance steps, the song not only became a significant part of playlists but also a musical culture. The singer performed the song, along with a medley of ‘She Wolf’ and ‘Hips Don’t Lie,’ in the World Cup Opening Ceremony. Following the incredible success, the Colombian singer returned to the football world in 2014 to perform her song ‘La La La,’ featuring Carlinhos Brown, in Brazil, according to Billboard.

BTS, the renowned and cherished K-pop band, engraved its name in the music industry with golden letters. One of the members, Jungkook, took the FIFA World Cup stage in Qatar during the opening ceremony. Performing the football anthem, the 28-year-old sang his single, 'Dreamers.' As the photos and clips hit social media, the fans could not keep calm. Giving an electric showdown, Jungkook sang alongside Qatari singer Fahad Al-Qubaishi.

The ‘IT Girl’ is in town, and how can there be any other who makes everybody dance on the floor? Jennifer Lopez performed the song ‘We Are Back (Ole Ola)’ alongside Pitbull and renowned Brazilian singer Claudia Liette. The trio charmed the stage in 2014, at São Paulo, Brazil, during the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup. Dressed in a sparkly dark green dress, Lopez gave an energetic performance with mind-boggling dance moves, according to Reuters.

For the 2018 FIFA World Cup’s closing ceremony in Moscow, Russia, between France and Croatia, Will Smith gave a sensational performance. He sang the anthem ‘Live It Up,’ alongside Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi, in front of 80,000 spectators. “Collaborating with Nicky, Diplo, and Era on this track represents harmony, eclectic flavours, and genres coming together. At the end of the day, we just want to see the world dance,” Will Smith said, according to FIFA.

After a great touring success and becoming an international superstar, Ricky Martin created the FIFA anthem for the year 1998. The 54-year-old performed his song ‘The Cup of Life’ in France during the closing ceremony before the match. Eventually, he received attention from the global media, winning multiple awards and accolades for his creation. As for his tradition of performing at the World Cup championships, Martin recently visited India for the T20 finals earlier this year.