The BTS World Cup 2026 halftime show takes place today, Sunday, July 19, 2026, during the Spain vs Argentina final at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium).
The seven-member K-pop group co-headlines the first halftime show in FIFA World Cup history alongside Madonna, Shakira, and Justin Bieber, in an 11-minute set curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin that begins at approximately 3:45 p.m. ET.
The booking caps a remarkable sprint. BTS played Stade de France in Paris on July 17 and 18, then travel straight to New Jersey for the biggest audience of their career. It is the first time the full group performs at a FIFA event, four years after Jungkook opened the 2022 Qatar World Cup as a solo act, and it arrives with their reunion album Arirang and its No. 1 single “Swim” dominating 2026.
Quick Facts About the BTS World Cup 2026 Halftime Show
- Date: Sunday, July 19, 2026
- Match: Spain vs Argentina, FIFA World Cup 2026 Final
- Venue: New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Halftime Show Start: Approximately 3:45 p.m. ET (kickoff 3:00 p.m. ET)
- Show Length: 11 minutes within an extended break of roughly 30 minutes
- Co-Headliners: BTS, Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber
- Also Performing: Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay, Sesame Street and Muppets characters
- Curator: Chris Martin (Coldplay)
- Members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, Jungkook (all seven expected)
- First Full-Group FIFA Performance: Yes
- Previous FIFA Connection: Jungkook performed “Dreamers” at the 2022 Qatar opening ceremony
- Current Album: Arirang (two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200)
What to Expect From the BTS World Cup 2026 Halftime Show Set
BTS get roughly 3 minutes of the 11-minute show, enough for one full song or a short medley, with a possible all-headliner finale. They arrive mid-tour, having played nine European stadium shows in July alone, so the choreography is stadium-tested and current.
Almost certain: “Dynamite” (their 2020 English-language breakthrough and most globally recognized song) or “Butter” (10 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100), plus “Swim” (the Arirang lead single that debuted at No. 1 in March and won Song of the Summer at the American Music Awards on May 25, 2026).
The Coldplay wildcard: “My Universe,” BTS’s 2021 Hot 100 No. 1 with Coldplay, is the smartest bet on the board. Chris Martin curated the show, and Coldplay perform in it alongside the PS22 Chorus, a choir that first went viral covering Coldplay songs. A “My Universe” moment uniting BTS, Coldplay, and the children’s choir would serve the Education Fund theme perfectly.
Possible surprises: “Permission to Dance” (co-written by Ed Sheeran, built for global crowd participation), a nod to Jungkook’s Qatar history, or a vocal-line a cappella moment leading into the finale.
The BTS Member Lineup
All seven members completed mandatory South Korean military service by June 2025 and reunited for Arirang. All seven are expected on stage today.
RM (Leader, Rapper): Kim Namjoon, born September 12, 1994. The group’s leader and English-language spokesperson, he addressed the United Nations on behalf of BTS three times. Solo albums include Indigo (2022) and Right Place, Wrong Person (2024).
Jin (Vocalist): Kim Seokjin, born December 4, 1992. The oldest member and a lead vocalist. His 2022 single “The Astronaut” was co-written with Chris Martin, a direct link to today’s curator. He was the first member to enlist and the first discharged, in June 2024.
Suga (Rapper, Producer): Min Yoongi, born March 9, 1993. Rapper and primary producer, also recording as Agust D. His 2023 D-Day Tour became the highest-grossing US tour by an Asian soloist at $57.2 million.
J-Hope (Rapper, Dancer): Jung Hoseok, born February 18, 1994. Main dancer and rapper. In 2022 he became the first South Korean artist to headline a major US festival main stage at Lollapalooza Chicago.
Jimin (Vocalist, Dancer): Park Jimin, born October 13, 1995. Lead vocalist and main dancer. His 2023 single “Like Crazy” was the first Hot 100 No. 1 by a Korean solo artist.
V (Vocalist): Kim Taehyung, born December 30, 1995. Known for his baritone voice. His 2023 EP Layover debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped iTunes charts in over 100 countries.
Jungkook (Vocalist): Jeon Jungkook, born September 1, 1997. The youngest member and main vocalist, and the only one with FIFA history. His 2023 single “Seven” with Latto hit No. 1 and became the fastest song to reach one billion Spotify streams, in 108 days.
Jungkook’s 2022 Qatar World Cup Performance
Jungkook became the first Korean artist to perform at a FIFA World Cup opening ceremony on November 20, 2022 at Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar, debuting his solo single “Dreamers” with Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi before the Qatar-Ecuador opener.
The performance became FIFA’s biggest digital moment of the tournament: the official “Dreamers” video passed 155 million views, FIFA’s most-watched video, and the song reached No. 9 on the Billboard Global 200. Four years later, the 2026 halftime show upgrades that solo cameo to the complete seven-member group on FIFA’s biggest-ever stage, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino projecting “a couple of billion” viewers.
BTS Career Records and Achievements
BTS are the best-selling act in South Korean history with over 40 million albums sold domestically, and the highest-charting Korean act on every major Western chart.
| Achievement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hot 100 number-one singles | 7 (including “Swim,” 2026) |
| Billboard 200 number-one albums | 7 consecutive |
| Guinness World Records | 26 (Hall of Fame, 2022) |
| Grammy nominations | 5 |
| Spotify streams (total) | 30+ billion |
| AMA Artist of the Year | First Asian act to win (2021) |
| AMA Song of the Summer | “Swim” (2026) |
| United Nations addresses | 3 (2018, 2020, 2021) |
The Arirang comeback by the numbers: Released March 20, 2026, Arirang debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 641,000 equivalent units, the largest week for any group since unit tracking began in December 2014, and held No. 1 for two consecutive weeks, a first for a BTS album. Lead single “Swim” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, their seventh chart-topper alongside “Dynamite,” “Savage Love,” “Life Goes On,” “Butter,” “Permission to Dance,” and “My Universe” with Coldplay.
The Arirang World Tour: Paris Today, MetLife Again in August
Today’s halftime show lands mid-tour. The Arirang World Tour, BTS’s largest ever at 85 dates across 34 cities in 23 countries, opened April 9, 2026 at Goyang Stadium and runs through March 2027, featuring a 360-degree stage design. The group closed the European leg at Stade de France on July 17 and 18, flying to New Jersey immediately before the final.
The MetLife connection runs deeper: BTS return to the same stadium for their own tour dates on August 1 and 2, backed by “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG – New York,” a citywide fan activation running July 24 through August 3 with experiences across Grand Central Terminal, the Korean Cultural Center, and more. Today’s halftime show effectively opens a two-week BTS takeover of the New York area.
How to Watch the BTS World Cup 2026 Halftime Show
The final kicks off at 3:00 p.m. ET on FOX (English) and Telemundo (Spanish), with the halftime show starting at approximately 3:45 p.m. ET depending on first-half stoppage time. US viewers can watch free over the air with an antenna, stream via the FOX Sports app (TV login required) or Peacock for Spanish coverage, or listen live on SiriusXM.
A closing ceremony begins at 1:00 p.m. ET featuring Post Malone, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, and IShowSpeed, plus a Tom Cruise appearance, with Jennifer Hudson singing the US national anthem before kickoff.
International broadcasters include BBC and ITV (UK), TSN (Canada), TelevisaUnivision and TV Azteca (Mexico), SBS (Australia), and RTVE (Spain). In South Korea, the final airs on SBS.
For full broadcast details, see our complete FIFA World Cup 2026 halftime show guide.
FAQ About the BTS World Cup 2026 Halftime Show
What time do BTS perform at the World Cup final?
The halftime show begins at approximately 3:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19, 2026, within a break extended to around 30 minutes. BTS’s segment is expected to run roughly 3 minutes of the 11-minute show.
Are all seven BTS members performing?
FIFA announced BTS as a group without naming individual members, and the group has performed as a complete seven-member unit throughout the 2026 Arirang era. All seven are expected on stage.
Will BTS perform My Universe with Coldplay?
It is not confirmed, but the conditions are ideal: Chris Martin curated the show, Coldplay perform in it with the PS22 Chorus, and “My Universe” is a shared Hot 100 No. 1. It is the most likely collaboration moment of the entire show.
Will BTS perform Dreamers from the 2022 Qatar World Cup?
Unlikely. “Dreamers” is a Jungkook solo song rather than a group track. The set is expected to feature group hits like “Dynamite,” “Butter,” or the current No. 1 “Swim.”
Did BTS just perform in Paris?
Yes. BTS closed the European leg of the Arirang World Tour at Stade de France on July 17 and 18, then traveled to New Jersey for today’s final, back-to-back-to-back stadium nights on two continents.
When do BTS return to MetLife Stadium?
August 1 and 2, 2026, for their own Arirang World Tour dates at the same venue, supported by the “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG – New York” citywide activation from July 24 to August 3.
Has a K-pop act headlined a World Cup halftime show before?
No. BTS are the first, and today is the first World Cup final halftime show ever staged. K-pop’s prior FIFA history includes Jungkook’s 2022 Qatar opening ceremony and Lisa’s performance at the June 12 Los Angeles opening celebration.
Will BTS sing in Korean or English?
A mixed-language set is most likely. Their No. 1 singles span English (“Dynamite,” “Butter”) and Korean (“Life Goes On,” “Swim”), and the projected audience of well over a billion viewers rewards both.
The BTS World Cup 2026 halftime show is the largest live audience of the group’s career and the definitive stage of their post-military reunion: from Jungkook alone in Qatar to all seven members at the World Cup final, with a No. 1 album, the Song of the Summer, and a Paris-to-New Jersey sprint that only the biggest group in the world would attempt.
