Coldplay, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems, Emmanuel Kelly Perform At FIFA’s First-Ever Halftime Show

It was a top deck full of stars at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The East Rutherford, New Jersey venue hosted the first-ever FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show headlined by J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems and Emmanuel Kelly with a surprise appearance from Coldplay, and they all performed on a uniquely designed stage in the nosebleed section of the stadium.

Global Citizen partnered with FIFA in creating the high-tech stage that resembled a large podium to avoid damaging the pitch. Chris Martin of Coldplay curated the event and has also been working with FIFA on next year’s World Cup festivities, as well as a halftime show during the final match.

After Cole Palmer led England’s Chelsea F.C. to a 3-0 advantage over Paris Saint-Germain F.C. of France in the first half, which ended up being the final score, J Balvin took the 40,000-pound stage to perform “Mi Gente.” Tems then performed “Love Me JeJe” and Doja Cat followed with “Woman” before Coldplay surprised everyone with a rendition of “A Sky Full of Stars” alongside Australian star Emmanuel Kelly, marking the first time a person with a disability headlined such a global event.

It’s a major move from FIFA, which isn’t used to putting on performances like the NFL arranges with the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Gianni Infantino, president of soccer’s international governing body, announced earlier this year that Chris Martin and Phil Harvey of Coldplay were working with FIFA on curating not only a halftime show for the final match but also shows in Times Square next year.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the most-watched sporting event globally, with billions of viewers tuning in, particularly for the final match. Next year’s tournament will be the first to take place on American soil since 1994. Canada and Mexico are co-hosting the tournament, but 11 of the 16 stadiums tasked with putting on the matches are in the U.S.

In addition to having the tournament’s first-ever halftime show, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will also be the biggest with 48 teams and 104 matches across 39 days. FIFA had expanded from 24 nations to 32 in 1998.

This year’s club tournament was a trial run for FIFA and stadiums in the U.S. set to host next year’s major soccer competition. Teams raised concerns over the extreme heat in some of the stadiums this summer, and Infantino addressed the issue during a press conference at Trump Tower, saying that stadiums with roofs will likely be utilized for matches scheduled during the day.

“Every criticism that we receive is, of course, a source for us to study, to analyze, to see what we can do better,” Infantino told reporters. “… Of course, the heat is definitely an issue. It’s an issue all over the world. … We need to look at what we can do better.”