Burna Boy will join Justin Bieber, Shakira, Madonna and BTS at the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, FIFA announced this week.
The 11-minute performance takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. The lineup also includes Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, a children’s choir from Staten Island, and Coldplay themselves.
Burna Boy’s spot follows his and Shakira’s collaboration on this year’s official World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” released in May, which the pair debuted together at the tournament’s opening ceremony in Mexico City on June 11.
The halftime show marks a first for football: unlike the Super Bowl, major football finals have traditionally featured pre-match concerts rather than in-game performances. Organisers say the genre-spanning lineup, blending Afrobeats, Latin pop, K-pop and rock, is designed to make the moment as culturally significant as the match itself.
Burna Boy’s appearance continues a breakout year for Afrobeats on football’s biggest stage, following his and other Nigerian stars’ inclusion on this year’s official World Cup soundtrack.
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