BURNA BOY DELIVERS ELECTRIFYING PERFORMANCE IN FIRST-EVER FIFA WORLD CUP HALFTIME SHOW

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By: Muftau Fatimo

Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy thrilled fans at FIFA’s first-ever World Cup final halftime show on Sunday, performing alongside global music icon Shakira as the tournament introduced a new entertainment format.

Burna Boy and Shakira delivered a rendition of the official tournament anthem, ‘Dai, Dai’, during the interval of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The duo had earlier performed at the opening ceremony, but their halftime show featured an added spectacle with Uganda’s Ghetto Kids joining them for the choreography.

The historic halftime show also featured pop icon Madonna, who opened the entertainment after the first half ended goalless, before Justin Bieber performed an acoustic rendition of ‘Everything Hallelujah’.

Brazil legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho also made appearances, driving onto the pitch to loud cheers from the capacity crowd. The pair, members of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad, have been regular faces at matches throughout the tournament despite the Selecao’s last-16 exit to Norway.

The show was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and lasted 27 minutes and 19 seconds, significantly longer than the traditional 15-minute halftime interval stipulated for FIFA matches under IFAB regulations.

The extended break and the introduction of halftime entertainment have generated mixed reactions, with FIFA’s decision to reshape aspects of the tournament including extended hydration breaks and the inaugural halftime show drawing debate.

Former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo, who provided analysis for Sporty TV during the final, praised the new initiative but emphasized that it must not disrupt the normal flow of the match.

“I would love to see more of it, as long as it doesn’t affect the allocated duration of the game,” Yobo said.

Former England striker Ian Wright also shared his reaction to the event, joking that “Ronaldinho’s tracksuit looked massive,” while ex-Manchester United skipper Roy Keane admitted the performance did not fully impress him.

“It was a bit of an anti-climax, but listen, it’s so nice to see Shakira,” Keane remarked.