Furious soccer fans have aired their grievances with the World Cup halftime show lineup, hours after FIFA confirmed the stars who will take to the stage this summer. The lineup was announced on Wednesday night, less than a month before the soccer showpiece kicks off in Mexico, Canada and the United States.
Halftime Show Headliners Announced
FIFA confirmed that Madonna, Shakira and K-pop band BTS will headline the first-ever World Cup final halftime show, which will be held at MetLife Stadium on July 19. While some fans were loving the announcement, others weren't as pleased and quickly rushed to social media to vent their fury.
Fan Reactions
One disgruntled supporter said: 'Could they not have got 3 current stars from the USA, Mexico & Canada? Would have made a lot more sense!' Another brutally wrote: 'Well at least I know what I won't be watching. Thanks for the heads up.' A third commented: 'The worst lineup in the history of fifa. You can't change my mind.' Meanwhile, one fan said: 'Leave that nonsense to Super Bowl, soccer doesn't need cheerleaders.'
Some fans took issue with individual performers. One user commented: 'Madonna's a bit past it isn't she? Who even wants a half time show anyway?' Another said: 'Them trying to sneak in BTS with these talented ppl like we would notice.' A fan added: 'Shakira again? She did this with JLo at the Super Bowl.'
FIFA President's Promise
FIFA president Gianni Infantino last month promised fans that the halftime show 'will be fantastic,' but his idea has been met with opposition among many within soccer. FIFA enlisted the help of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to select the headliners, and he has chosen some of the world's biggest artists.
Artist Backgrounds
Madonna, 67, has won seven Grammy Awards and her 15th studio album, Confessions II, is set to be released in July. Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, 49, recently released the official World Cup song 'Dai Dai' alongside Burna Boy. She previously performed at a concert ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. BTS, a seven-strong boy band, became the first K-pop group to receive a Grammy nomination in 2020.
'The show will raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, improving access to quality education and football for children around the world,' read a statement from Coldplay. Madonna and Shakira have both previously performed at Super Bowls, but this will be the first time that the World Cup final has included a halftime show.
Announcement Video
The announcement was made in a viral video that featured Coldplay star Martin as well as characters such as Elmo, Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog and Animal. 'This show is more about we than me,' Martin said in the clip. 'It's about togetherness.' Earlier this month, FIFA revealed who will perform ahead of the first game in each of the three host countries, with Katy Perry among those chosen for the USA's opening match against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
The last time the World Cup came to the US, in 1994, Diana Ross headlined the opening ceremony while Whitney Houston had a 25-minute set at the closing ceremony. The three tenors Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Jose Carreras also performed at Dodger Stadium during the tournament, which was won by Brazil.
