BTS performs first-ever World Cup halftime show; Jung Ho-yeon leads trophy ceremony

The group BTS captured the attention of football fans worldwide by taking the stage for the first-ever halftime show in FIFA World Cup history. Model and actress Jung Ho-yeon also signaled the start of the final by participating in the performance to unveil the winner's trophy, once again proving the cultural influence of K-culture at the world's largest sporting event.

On the 20th (Korean time), BTS performed on the halftime show stage—a feature introduced by FIFA for the first time during this tournament—at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina, held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA.

This performance added symbolic significance as it followed the 2022 Qatar World Cup opening ceremony, where member Jung Kook [BTS] performed the official soundtrack 'Dreamers,' making him the first K-pop artist to appear on a World Cup opening stage. Now, the full group BTS has graced the official performance of a World Cup final. Analysts suggest that K-pop representative artists have taken center stage in a new format that combines the world's largest sporting event with global popular music.

Prior to the start of the final, actress Jung Ho-yeon drew additional attention by appearing as a special guest. Having gained global recognition through the Netflix series 'Squid Game,' Jung is expanding her acting career, recently appearing in director Na Hong-jin's film 'HOPE.'

On this day, Jung attended the event as a global ambassador for the luxury brand L. She signaled the start of the final by participating in an official performance alongside Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, transporting the FIFA World Cup winner's trophy, which was kept in a brand-exclusive trunk, to the stadium. The symbolic scene featuring a global sports star and a Korean actress received thunderous applause from the crowd.

The pre-final events were also designed as a global cultural festival featuring a lineup of world-class stars. Actor Tom Cruise delivered the opening speech, and singer Jennifer Hudson sang the American national anthem. This was followed by various global artists, including IShowSpeed, Swae Lee, Post Malone, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, and Laura Pausini, who took the stage to heighten the atmosphere of the final.

The halftime show, which followed the end of the first half, is a project that FIFA attempted for the first time in World Cup history. By introducing large-scale performance content similar to the NFL Super Bowl halftime show to the World Cup, they presented a new global event model that combines sports and entertainment.

For this halftime show, Chris Martin, the vocalist of the world-renowned band Coldplay, served as the executive director, leading the selection of performers and the composition of the show, with the international non-profit organization Global Citizen participating in the production. The performance was designed as a public interest project that also served as a fundraising campaign to expand educational opportunities for children worldwide, lasting approximately 27 minutes.

World-class pop stars appeared on stage in succession. Madonna opened the performance by singing her hit song 'Music,' and BTS colored the stadium with festive energy by performing the hit 'Dynamite' alongside a large group of dancers. This was followed by Justin Bieber performing 'Everything Hallelujah' with guitar accompaniment, and Shakira performing the official World Cup OST 'Dai Dai' with Burna Boy. Finally, the P.S.22 Children's Chorus from New York, USA, concluded the performance with a rendition of 'We Believe.'

This World Cup final is evaluated as a convergence of global cultural content, integrating sports, music, film, and fashion. In particular, as BTS and Jung Ho-yeon took charge of the core programs—the halftime performance and the official trophy ceremony, respectively—it is seen as a symbolic demonstration of the status K-pop and K-content hold in the global cultural industry. Analysis suggests that Korean cultural content has further solidified its influence as a global cultural brand, expanding beyond music and dramas to the center stage of mega sporting events.

In the final held that day, Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after a hard-fought extra time battle, claiming their second FIFA World Cup title in 16 years. The historic final, which combined sports and culture, left a deep impression not only through the match result but also as a festival featuring cultural icons from around the world.