BTS delivers historic reunion at FIFA World Cup final

BTS delivered a historic full-group performance at the FIFA World Cup 2026 final halftime show on July 19, 2026. All 7 members performed together during the championship match between Spain and Argentina.

The performance took place at New York New Jersey Stadium, where BTS performed their global hit “Dynamite” as part of FIFA’s first World Cup final halftime show. The event brought together football and global music stars in a major international entertainment spectacle.

BTS joins historic FIFA halftime show

FIFA staged the first halftime show in World Cup final history during the 2026 championship match. FIFA partnered with the nonprofit Global Citizen, while Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated the lineup.

The production brought sport, music, and culture together for a worldwide audience. The musical performances lasted about 11 minutes, while the full halftime interval extended to roughly 27 minutes because crews needed time to move equipment on and off the field.

BTS appeared alongside Madonna, Justin Bieber, and Shakira. The show also featured musicians from the New York Philharmonic, Muppets characters, and surprise appearances by Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.

All 7 BTS members perform together

Sunday’s show marked the first time all 7 BTS members performed together at a FIFA World Cup final. Jung Kook had previously performed as a solo artist at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar.

RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook all took part in the performance. Jung Kook opened BTS’s segment of “Dynamite” before the remaining members joined him for the full-group performance.

The appearance became a major moment for BTS during their 2026 “ARIRANG” world tour and received strong reactions from fans watching in the stadium and around the world.

Dynamite gets football-themed update

BTS performed their 2020 global hit “Dynamite,” which earned the group its first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

During the World Cup performance, BTS modified parts of the song’s lyrics for a football theme. Jung Kook changed “kick the drum” to “kick the ball,” while V altered a lyric reference to ping-pong to a football-related phrase.

The updated version added a football-inspired touch to one of BTS’s most recognizable songs as the group performed synchronized choreography for the global audience.

Fun fact: Jung Kook’s first World Cup song was 2022’s “Dreamers,” a duet with Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi.

A star-studded lineup takes the stage

Madonna opened the FIFA World Cup 2026 final halftime show with “Music.” The performance featured appearances by football legends Ronaldo Nazário and Ronaldinho. Gustavo Dudamel conducted musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra during a performance of “Seven Nation Army” with the Muppets’ Electric Mayhem.

BTS followed with “Dynamite,” while Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt appeared as Ted Lasso and Coach Beard to introduce Justin Bieber’s performance. Shakira and Burna Boy performed “Dai Dai,” the official tournament song.

The finale included Coldplay, the PS22 Chorus, Muppets characters, Emmanuel Kelly and Adriana Lima performing “We Dance,” a song written for the event.

Jung Kook reaches another World Cup milestone

Jung Kook performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar before returning with BTS for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show. He became the first male artist to perform at multiple FIFA World Cup events.

He opened BTS’s segment of “Dynamite” before the other 6 members joined for the full-group performance. His 2026 appearance marked his second appearance at the FIFA World Cup across 2 tournaments.

The performance connected Jung Kook’s solo World Cup appearance in 2022 with BTS’s historic full-group appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

Fashion choices honor South Korea and BTS

Several BTS members wore outfits with football-related details. Suga wore a jersey featuring the Red Devils emblem, the official supporters’ badge of South Korea’s national football team.

Jimin and J-Hope wore the No. 7, a detail linked to South Korea captain Son Heung-min’s jersey number and the 7 members of BTS. Fans quickly noticed the clever connection between the 2 meanings.

The group’s coordinated red, black, and white stage wear combined football-inspired jerseys, tracksuits, and racing-style pieces for the World Cup performance. Every small detail added another layer of meaning to the performance.

Fans and critics react to the halftime show

BTS’s appearance generated significant online attention after the performance, with clips and reactions circulating widely across social media platforms.

Critical reaction to the full halftime show was mixed. Some commentators praised the scale of the production, while others questioned whether a Super Bowl-style entertainment format suited a FIFA World Cup final.

Coverage highlighted BTS’s synchronized performance of “Dynamite” and the growing integration of global sports events with major music performances.

What comes next for the group

BTS is currently performing its “ARIRANG” world tour. The group is scheduled to perform at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Aug. 1 and Aug. 2, 2026.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 halftime show supported the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Global Citizen reported that the fund had raised more than $60 million, supported 58 community-based organizations in 20 countries and reached 400,000 children through education initiatives.

The World Cup appearance added another major global performance to BTS’s 2026 schedule as the group continues its international tour.

Little-known fact: The 2022 World Cup opening ceremony featured actor Morgan Freeman, while Nora Fatehi performed at the tournament’s closing ceremony on Dec. 18, 2022.

TL;DR

• BTS became the first group to have all seven members perform together at a FIFA World Cup final.
• The show took place on July 19, 2026, during the Spain-Argentina championship match.
• The group performed a football-themed version of their hit “Dynamite.”
• Jung Kook became the only male Asian artist to perform at multiple World Cup events.
• The show also raised money for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

If you liked this story, don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content.

This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

If you liked this, you might also like:

• BTS announces long-awaited comeback album after completing military service
• BTS Returns in 2025: New Music, World Tour, and More
• Trump spends Saturday at Bedminster after a 25-minute election address