Editor's note: This preview was published ahead of the performance. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show takes place Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium. Designers, stylists and outfit credits will be confirmed after the broadcast.
When the FIFA World Cup Final introduces its first dedicated halftime show on July 19, the clothes will be nearly as closely watched as the performances.
The approximately 11-minute production will be co-headlined by Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Justin Bieber, with Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay also set to appear. Curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the show will bring artists with distinctly different fashion identities onto one global stage.
Their costumes must do several things at once: establish each performer's identity, remain visible across a vast stadium, accommodate demanding choreography and create a unified visual story for television audiences around the world.
Why the Fashion Will Matter
Stadium fashion requires more than an impressive outfit. A successful costume must photograph well in close-up, remain recognizable from the upper levels and withstand heat, wind and constant movement.
Color, silhouette and surface will therefore matter more than small details. Saturated shades, reflective embellishment, exaggerated proportions and coordinated palettes can help performers stand out in wide camera shots.
The wardrobe may also communicate cultural identity through textiles, craftsmanship, color and symbolic accessories. The challenge will be to reference heritage without reducing it to literal national dress.
Earlier World Cup ceremonies have already demonstrated how national colors and sportswear references can create a unified stadium image without requiring every performer to wear the same silhouette.
The Headliners' Fashion Signatures
Madonna: The Master of Reinvention
Madonna has spent more than four decades using fashion as part of her performance language. Her stage costumes rarely function as simple outfits; they introduce characters, communicate ideas and often become cultural references in their own right.
For the World Cup, she could revisit one of her famous visual eras or introduce a new image built around theatrical construction and dramatic accessories. A reveal, removable layer or quick change would fit her history of turning clothing into choreography.
Shakira: Movement and Colombian Identity
Shakira's stage clothes are built around movement. Her World Cup costume will need to be flexible, lightweight and secure enough for choreography while remaining visually powerful in a large stadium.
Fluid fabrics, body-conscious construction, fringe and reflective surfaces would all suit her performance style. Her Colombian heritage could also appear through vivid color, handcrafted details or references to Latin American textiles.
Her opening-ceremony appearance with Burna Boy offered an early example of how contrasting costumes can work together. Shakira's fitted yellow look stood against Burna Boy's oversized gray denim, while the dancers' reconstructed white jerseys connected both performers to the tournament.
Burna Boy: African Luxury Meets Streetwear
Burna Boy's style combines relaxed tailoring, oversized streetwear, statement jewelry and references to African design. His stage clothes often feel luxurious without becoming overly formal.
For the halftime show, watch for textured fabrics, strong color and jewelry large enough to remain visible in wide shots. His appearance could also give an African designer or textile tradition exposure on one of entertainment's largest stages.
BTS: Coordinated Individuality
BTS is known for group styling that creates unity without making all seven members look identical. A shared palette, fabric or silhouette often ties the group together, while variations in tailoring, proportion and accessories preserve each member's identity.
That strategy is particularly effective in a stadium. Coordinated looks create a recognizable visual unit during synchronized choreography, while individual details reward closer television shots. Their wardrobe may also incorporate references to Korean tailoring, craftsmanship or contemporary fashion.
Because this is an older red-carpet image, the caption should state the event and date and describe it as an example of BTS's established styling approach.
Justin Bieber: Elevated Streetwear
Justin Bieber's personal style is rooted in oversized silhouettes, workwear and casual layering. Rather than abandoning that identity for a traditional stage costume, he may translate it through custom proportions, richer materials and more deliberate construction.
Exaggerated denim, relaxed tailoring, statement outerwear or luxury sportswear would all feel consistent with his image. His contribution may be less about national symbolism and more about the influence of North American streetwear on global youth culture.
Use the original Getty caption with the correct event, date and photographer.
How Soccer Could Shape the Wardrobe
Jerseys, national colors, scarves, crests and technical fabrics give the designers a recognizable visual vocabulary.
The strongest references are likely to be reworked rather than literal. Reconstructed jerseys, athletic mesh, supporter-inspired stripes or flag-derived palettes could connect the performers to the tournament without making them look as if they are wearing uniforms.
The ensemble will also be important. Coordinated dancers can create color blocks and patterns that become especially powerful in aerial shots. Repeated colors or materials could connect the headliners, choir and supporting performers while allowing each artist to retain a distinct identity.
What to Watch for During the Show
The defining fashion moment will be the look that best combines spectacle, movement and identity.
Beyond the headliners, watch for the designers and stylists behind the clothes, the cultural references built into each outfit and the techniques used to connect hundreds of performers visually.
Because this is the first FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, its wardrobe could establish a visual template for future tournaments.
Check back after the final for a complete look-by-look review with confirmed designer, stylist, footwear, jewelry and beauty credits.
