Robbie Williams, the former Take That star, has been announced as a headline performer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show. The event will take place on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Williams will perform alongside Italian pop star Laura Pausini. The duo will sing the official FIFA football anthem 'Desire' as part of celebrations curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin.
Star-Studded Halftime Lineup
Williams and Pausini are among a host of major artists booked for the halftime show. Other performers include music icon Madonna, K-pop boy band BTS, and World Cup mascot Shakira. The 2026 tournament is hosted by the USA, with additional matches in Canada and Mexico.
A source close to Williams told The Sun: "Robbie loves football and is excited to play at this momentous gig. Of course, he hopes England will be one of the teams in the final." The Mirror has contacted representatives for Williams for further comment.
World Cup Final Prize and Audience
The winning team will receive a cash prize of $51 million (£38 million). According to FIFA, 2.9 billion viewers worldwide watched the 2022 World Cup final, and a similar or larger audience is expected for the 2026 finale.
Opening Ceremonies Recap
The tournament kicked off earlier this month with opening ceremonies across all three host nations. On June 11, Shakira and Burna Boy headlined the ceremony at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, performing the official song 'Dai Dai'. Other performers included Maná, Danny Ocean, Los Ángeles Azules, Belinda, J Balvin, and Ryan Castro. Andrea Bocelli and Ejae performed the anthem 'DNA (More Than a Game)'.
On June 12, ceremonies took place in Canada and the USA. In Toronto, Alessia Cara, Nora Fatehi, Vegedream, Sanjoy, Jessie Reyez, Elyanna, Michael Bublé, and Alanis Morissette performed. At SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Future, Tyla, Lisa, Anitta, Rema, Katy Perry, and Dan + Shay entertained the crowd.
England's World Cup Campaign
England remain in the tournament after qualifying in Group L alongside Ghana and Croatia. Scotland were eliminated after the opening matches in Group C, with Brazil and Morocco advancing.
