BTS lights up the World Cup final — in pictures

The K-pop megaband delivered “Dynamite” in the World Cup’s first halftime show as Spain beat Argentina in extra time.

Published July 20, 2026 - 9:25 a.m.

BTS performs during the halftime show of the World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.

AP/YONHAP

BTS performed "Dynamite" (2020) on the pitch at the World Cup final on Sunday, in the first halftime show staged in the tournament's history.

The seven-member boy band shared the bill with Madonna, Justin Bieber and Shakira at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — renamed New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament — in front of a crowd of more than 80,000. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time after the break to win its second World Cup.

FIFA designed the segment to transplant the Super Bowl's halftime spectacle into world football, a formula the sport had never tried. It handed the curation to Chris Martin of Coldplay and the production to Global Citizen.

The idea drew doubts about dropping a concert into a football match. FIFA stretched the halftime break to roughly 30 minutes from the usual 15 to make room, and the set, scheduled for 11 minutes, ran slightly over.

Martin pitched the show as a charity vehicle from the outset. Proceeds go to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, a $100 million campaign to widen children's access to schooling and football.

"It's a chance to show how amazing all different kinds of humans are," Martin said in the video that announced the lineup in May.

Madonna opened the show singing "Music" (2000) from a cart driven through the stadium tunnels by the Brazilian greats Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Gustavo Dudamel then conducted the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra through the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" (2003), with the Muppets on drums.

BTS performs during the halftime show of the World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 19.

BTS came next. All seven members took the field in matching custom red outfits carrying their names and the No. 7, with Jungkook opening alone before the rest of the group joined him. A crew of more than 24 dancers filled the grass behind them for a full-choreography run of "Dynamite," the band's first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 and an all-English single that held the top spot for three weeks. The stadium turned into a dance floor.

Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt walked on in character from "Ted Lasso" (2020) to introduce Bieber, who played an acoustic "Everything Hallelujah" (2025). Shakira and Burna Boy followed with "Dai Dai," the tournament's official song.

The show closed with "We Dance," a Coldplay song written for the occasion and premiered live. The PS22 Chorus, a choir of fourth and fifth graders from a Staten Island public school, sang it alongside Martin, his bandmates and the Muppets. The word "LOVE" spread across the field as fireworks went up.

Sunday was not the first World Cup stage for a BTS member. Jungkook sang "Dreamers," the official song of the 2022 tournament, at the opening ceremony in Qatar.

BTS will return to MetLife Stadium on Aug. 1 and 2 for two shows on its "Arirang" world tour, the band's first full-lineup run since its members completed military service.