Justin Bieber and Madonna's rumoured feud over the 2026 World Cup final halftime show erupted in New York New Jersey Stadium on 19 July, when the pair reportedly clashed over how the first-ever World Cup final halftime performance should look, according to a production insider.
FIFA had billed the halftime show as a historic moment, combining sport, music and social impact in front of a global audience of hundreds of millions. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin was brought in to curate the line-up, stitching together an almost absurdly starry cast led by Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS, with the event produced by Global Citizen in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
