Coldplay to Help Select Artists For 2026 World Cup Halftime Show

The World Cup, heading to North America in 2026, will feature a halftime show for the first time, and Coldplay will help with the final artists decision. Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Phil Harvey, the band’s manager, were both pulled to select a “list of artists” for the mid-game performance, Gianni Infantino, FIFA World Cup president, shared in a social media post Wednesday.

“I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey, in association with Global Citizen,” Infantino wrote on Instagram. “This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”

The World Cup final will take place on July 19, 2026 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. FIFA first announced the football final would feature a halftime show in September. Few additional details have been confirmed about the World Cup halftime performance. At the Super Bowl, halftime performers are given a 30-minute window to build and break down the the playing field. Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, described as a “hip-hop touchdown,” lasted about 13 minutes.

For the Super Bowl’s 50th anniversary, Coldplay headlined alongside special guests Bruno Mars and Beyoncé, performing a medley of pop hits from the last half century. During the 12-minute performance, Martin sung along to “Yellow,” “Paradise,” and “Adventure of a Lifetime,” before passing the baton to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars for “Uptown Funk” and Beyoncé for “Formation.”

From Rolling Stone US.