On July 13, the FIFA Club World Cup Final will feature a halftime show for the first time. Set to take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the performance will be headlined by Doja Cat, Tems, and J Balvin. This year’s edition is already the most ambitious to date. Held across the United States, the tournament features 32 clubs and runs from June 14 to July 13. According to sources involved in the production, FIFA is using this event to test a format that could become standard by the time the 2026 World Cup arrives.

For decades, FIFA resisted the idea of inserting entertainment into its matches, preferring to keep the focus strictly on the sport. But with the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams and being hosted across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, FIFA is facing pressure to adapt not only from the audience, but from sponsors seeking greater visibility.

The selection of performers reflects a calculated effort to align the event with global music trends. Doja Cat, whose Scarlet album and recent Oscars performance have kept her in the cultural spotlight, continues to bridge the gap between pop and hip-hop. Tems, representing Nigeria, has emerged as one of the leading voices in the international rise of Afrobeats, following the release of her debut album Born in the Wild. J Balvin, one of Latin music’s most commercially successful artists of the past decade, brings significant global reach and a strong presence across both Spanish-speaking and international markets.

The show is being produced by Global Citizen in partnership with Live Nation and DPS, with direction by Hamish Hamilton, whose résumé includes Super Bowl halftime shows and Olympic ceremonies. Chris Martin of Coldplay curated the lineup, according to production sources.

The performance will stream globally via DAZN and other platforms. Proceeds will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, a newly launched initiative aiming to raise $100 million to support children’s education in underserved communities.

A Controlled Test for 2026

Internally, FIFA officials have referred to the Club World Cup Final halftime show as a “pilot”, a controlled test for what a large-scale halftime entertainment experience could look like at the World Cup level. If successful, similar programming could be introduced not only for the 2026 final, but also during major matches throughout the tournament.

The risks are clear. A poorly received halftime performance could overshadow the game itself and invite backlash from fans and traditionalists. But the potential rewards such as new revenue, expanded audiences, and bigger cultural relevance are too significant to ignore.

As of June 2025, FIFA is making clear that the fifteen minutes at halftime may soon carry as much weight as the ninety that surround them.