A new update to the 2026 FIFA World Cup will make it more like the Super Bowl. Last Friday (Sept. 28), FIFA announced that the next games will include a halftime show.
Every four years, FIFA hosts the biggest fútbol competition on a global level, the World Cup. Despite being a major sports event, the FIFA World Cup surprisingly doesn’t have a halftime show. Most of the musical performances at the previous competitions took place either during the opening or closing ceremonies. Shakira has become synonymous with the World Cup after performing the Bamboo Remix of “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” at the 2006 and 2010 games, respectively. She also hit the stage at the following World Cup. Now, FIFA is teaming up with Global Citizen to put on its first halftime show at the 2026 competition.
“FIFA’s mission is to develop football in every corner of the world and to have a positive impact on society,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino shared in a statement. “Through this partnership, FIFA and Global Citizen will bring together the worlds of sport and entertainment to actively contribute to a better world. We are committing to a series of joint activities that will help promote access to football and engage fans of the sport in an effort to create positive change in their local communities.”
In July, the CONMEBOL Copa América hosted its first ever halftime show, where Shakira also performed. Now, the next FIFA World Cup will follow suit during the final match at the Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, on July 19, 2026. With less than two years to go until that game, here are six artists we would love to see perform at the FIFA World Cup halftime show.
Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin was one of the first artists to combine the worlds of music and the World Cup. In 1998, the Puerto Rican icon was tapped by FIFA to create an anthem for that year’s competition, which became the global smash “The Cup of Life.” It’s only fitting that Ricky could be the first artist to perform at the 2026 halftime show, especially since he has a lot more classics under his belt now. As an openly gay pop star, his performance could also be a big moment for Latine LGBTQ+ representation at the next World Cup. Maybe he could bring out Young Miko and La Cruz as special guests during his set.
Pitbull
One Latine icon that is synonymous with being global is Pitbull. Throughout his career, Mr. Worldwide has collaborated with the biggest artists in both the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking worlds. There’s a lot of potential for Pitbull to bring out big special guests to join him, like Jennifer Lopez to sing “On the Floor,” Christina Aguilera for “Feel This Moment,” or Shakira for “Rabiosa.” The Cuban-American star will be sure to soak up every minute of his performance at halftime to put on a spectacular show. The crowd would especially go wild to Pitbull’s classics like “Culo” and “Toma” featuring Lil Jon.
Maná
One Mexican act with the biggest anthems that resonate with audiences across Latin America and Spain is Maná. Throughout the band’s legendary career, they have perfectly walked that fine line between rock and pop music that appeals to everyone. On Maná’s sold-out world tours, Fher Olvera has also proved he is a complete Mexican rock star. There’s nothing more rock and roll than Maná recently removing their collaboration with Nicky Jam from music streaming services after he endorsed Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Maná could get the crowd to sing along to classics like “Labios Compartidos” and on their feet for “Oye Mi Amor.”
Karol G
For the past year, Karol G has proved that she can rule stages around the globe. The Colombian superstar performed concerts throughout North America, South America, and Europe with her blockbuster Mañana Será Bonito Tour. Billboard recently revealed that the tour is the highest-grossing of all time by a Latina artist. La Bichota seems like a natural choice to own the World Cup halftime show stage next. She would also bring a big dose of girl power to the World Cup with her anthems like “Bichota,” “Gatúbela,” and “Mi Ex Tenía Razón.” Maybe she could finally perform “Tusa” live with Nick Minaj at the event.
Aventura
Aside from RBD, who is on a hiatus again, another reunion that has Latines going wild is Aventura. In February, Romeo Santos revealed that he decided to get back together with his Aventura bandmates. Since May, the legendary bachata group has sold out concerts across the U.S., Mexico, and Spain with the Cerrando Ciclos Tour. Though the last concert will take place in Medellín, Colombia, on Dec. 20, maybe Aventura can hold off on disbanding to make it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Santos will bring the heat with the band’s bachata classics like “Obsesión” and “Un Beso.” They could even have special guests like Don Omar for “Ella y Yo” and Bad Bunny for “Volví.”
Luis Miguel
The box office numbers for Luis Miguel’s recent tour prove there’s still a high demand for the El Sol de México. Billboard revealed that he has the highest-grossing Latine tour of all time with the Luis Miguel Tour, which is still going strong with dates booked through to the last concert on Nov. 25 in Toluca, Mexico. That could give him some time off to rest and return stronger than ever at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The consummate Latine showman could be the perfect artist to perform at the first halftime show. His classics like “Ahora Te Puedes Marchar” and “La Chica Del Bikini Azul” would get everyone pumped for the final match.