"A Total Mess": Justin Bieber, Madonna, BTS, and Shakira Disappoint Fans in First-Ever World Cup Final Halftime Show

A grand and highly anticipated performance featuring some of the world's biggest stars—from Justin Bieber and Madonna to BTS and Shakira—ended in a complete flop, with critics and fans panning it as "muddled, chaotic, and just plain awful," Page Six reports.

Despite the colossal star power assembled on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey—curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin—the event turned into an incoherent jumble plagued by jarring energy shifts, awkward transitions, and an overall sense of dissonance.

A Meaningless Kaleidoscope: How the Chaos Unfolded

Madonna opened the show, though she wasn't even singing live. Lip-syncing her 2000 hit Music while roller skaters circled around her, she then made a grand, dramatic exit from the field.

Her set abruptly cut to a bizarre segment featuring Animal from The Muppets drumming along to The White Stripes' rock anthem Seven Nation Army.

Up next was an energetic but formulaic performance of Dynamite by K-pop sensation BTS. Immediately following the Korean group, actor Jason Sudeikis made a surprise appearance in character as Ted Lasso to introduce Justin Bieber.

Bieber completely killed the momentum by performing an acoustic guitar version of Everything Hallelujah, lulling the stadium crowd into a near-sleepy state.

It fell on Shakira to rescue the vibe. Joined by Burna Boy, she performed Dai Dai, bringing energy back to the stands with her signature dance moves.

Coldplay closed the spectacle alongside conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus. Children wearing vibrant jerseys danced around a giant globe and a massive "Love" sign. While it was a sweet and touching moment, even it couldn't salvage what had become a disjointed patchwork of a production.

Social Media Backlash and A-List Spectators

Social media blew up with a barrage of criticism. Users on X (formerly Twitter) labeled FIFA's inaugural halftime show a "clueless circus" and "a symptom of cultural decline":

• "90% of Madonna’s set was pre-recorded. Bieber’s song choice was a total misfire. High energy, then sleep, then high energy again. They should have just stuck with BTS and Shakira."

• "The football match was top-tier entertainment; the halftime show was an empty, meaningless mess."

• "The show felt completely disconnected—mixed themes and a total lack of unified vision."

Despite the performance falling flat, the stadium stands were packed with Hollywood royalty: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Adrien Brody, Timothée Chalamet, and Kylie Jenner were all spotted watching the match and the show.

A Charitable Mission

The performance marked the first official Halftime Show in FIFA World Cup history. It was organized to benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aimed at raising $100 million for children's education and football programs worldwide (with over $50 million already raised).

Chris Martin, who announced the project back in May, emphasized that the core vision behind the concert was "to demonstrate unity and celebrate the beauty of human diversity."

Yet, despite the noble intentions and philanthropic cause, the sports world overwhelmingly agreed on one thing: the football itself was far more entertaining than its musical accompaniment.