Yes, BTS really did perform at the World Cup final! The BTS World Cup moment became the talk of July 2026, when the seven took the stage at halftime of the final in New Jersey. And it wasn’t the group’s first time at the world’s biggest football tournament: back in 2022, Jung Kook sang at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar.
In this post we cover everything: the date and time BTS performed, which song it was, who else was on the lineup, what was just a rumor and how Jung Kook made his World Cup debut with “Dreamers”.
Quick answer
- When: Sunday, July 19, 2026, at halftime of the Spain vs. Argentina final.
- What time: BTS took the stage at 4:05 p.m. ET (20:05 UTC).
- Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey (USA).
- Song: “Dynamite”, in a short version, with all seven members.
- In 2022: Jung Kook sang “Dreamers” at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar.
In this post
BTS World Cup 2026: the final halftime show
The 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, brought something new to the final: for the first time in history, a World Cup final had a halftime show, Super Bowl style. And BTS was one of the headliners, with all seven members together.
For ARMY, it was huge: BTS at the World Cup, on one of the most-watched stages on the planet, right in the middle of the ARIRANG tour.
The show was announced by FIFA and Global Citizen on May 14, 2026, with BTS, Madonna and Shakira as headliners. Justin Bieber was confirmed later, on July 8. Coldplay’s Chris Martin curated the show, and it was produced by Global Citizen to benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise US$100 million to expand children’s access to education.
In FIFA’s official announcement, BTS spoke about music as a universal language and about supporting children’s education, the purpose of the show.
What day and time did BTS perform at the World Cup?
The final took place on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium (which FIFA calls New York New Jersey Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Spain beat Argentina 1–0, with a goal by Ferran Torres in extra time.
| Moment | New York time (ET) | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Start of the final | 3:00 p.m. | 19:00 |
| Start of halftime | 3:55 p.m. | 19:55 |
| BTS takes the stage | 4:05 p.m. | 20:05 |
The times come from the Korea JoongAng Daily’s report on the show. In Seoul it was already early morning: BTS went on at 5:05 a.m. on July 20, Korea time. The day before, on July 18, the group had wrapped up the European leg of the ARIRANG tour in Paris.
How the World Cup final halftime show went
The show lasted about 11 to 12 minutes and had several segments. According to FIFA’s official recap and the Korea JoongAng Daily’s coverage, this was the running order:
- An orchestral opening conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, with “Seven Nation Army”.
- Madonna, with “Music”, joined by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
- BTS, with “Dynamite”, in a shortened version of about 2 minutes, the seven dressed in red and black.
- Justin Bieber.
- Shakira and Burna Boy, with “Dai Dai”, the official song of the 2026 World Cup.
- A finale with the PS22 Chorus children’s choir, Coldplay, the Muppets and Sesame Street, singing the brand-new “We Dance”.
Choosing “Dynamite” made sense: it’s the BTS song everyone knows, even people who aren’t ARMY. The full performance is on FIFA’s official channel:
The show also moved the charts: the following week, the album ARIRANG returned to the Billboard 200 top 10, at No. 9. Soompi linked the return to the World Cup show and to the release of a new vinyl edition of the album. After the World Cup, BTS came back to the same MetLife Stadium on tour, on August 1 and 2.
What was just a rumor about BTS at the World Cup
Before and during the tournament, a lot of wrong information about the BTS World Cup appearance went around. These claims turned out to be false:
- “BTS will sing at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony”: they didn’t. BTS did not take part in the opening ceremonies (June 11 and 12) or the closing ceremony. Their appearance was only at the final’s halftime show.
- “BTS recorded the official 2026 World Cup song”: they didn’t. Neither BTS nor the members are on the official World Cup album, released on June 5, 2026. The official song is “Dai Dai”, by Shakira and Burna Boy. Videos like “Shakira x BTS” or “The Champion” come from fan channels or were made with artificial intelligence.
- “They will sing Permission to Dance” or “Dreamers”: that was only speculation before the show. BTS performed only “Dynamite”.
BTS World Cup 2022: Jung Kook and “Dreamers”
BTS’s World Cup story began four years earlier, in Qatar. On November 12, 2022, BIGHIT MUSIC announced that Jung Kook would be part of the official soundtrack and the opening ceremony of the World Cup.
The song was “Dreamers“, by Jung Kook with Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi, produced by RedOne. It was released on November 20, 2022, as one of the tracks on the World Cup’s official soundtrack, FIFA Sound, alongside songs like “Hayya Hayya” and “Tukoh Taka”.
That same day, Jung Kook performed “Dreamers” at the opening ceremony at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, joined by Fahad Al Kubaisi. The ceremony started at 5:30 p.m. Doha time, and his performance came at around 6 p.m. He became the first K-pop singer to perform at a World Cup opening ceremony.
It was an instant hit. According to Soompi, “Dreamers” reached No. 1 on iTunes in at least 102 countries and became the fastest official World Cup song to top the US iTunes chart, in 2 hours and 11 minutes. It was also No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart. The music video came out on November 22, 2022, on FIFA’s channel:
“Dreamers” is one of the BTS solo songs, and you can find more about it in our discography.
Other BTS links to football
- Jung Kook visited the Korean national team (2022): the day before the opening, on November 19, he went to South Korea’s training camp in Doha, greeted coach Paulo Bento and players like Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae, and sent his support on behalf of himself and the other members. The video was released by the Korea Football Association.
- RM and Son Heung-min (2019): at the Wembley concert on June 1, 2019, the day of the Champions League final with Son’s Tottenham, RM wore a cap as a tribute to the player. Son responded by thanking him.
- Global Citizen: the 2026 partnership wasn’t the first. BTS had already taken part in Global Citizen Live in 2021.
BTS World Cup FAQ
What time did BTS perform at the World Cup final?
BTS took the stage at 4:05 p.m. ET (20:05 UTC) on July 19, 2026, during halftime of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
What song did BTS perform at the World Cup final?
BTS performed “Dynamite”, in a short version of about 2 minutes, with all seven members.
Did BTS perform at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony?
No. BTS did not take part in the opening or closing ceremonies of the 2026 World Cup. Their performance was at the final’s halftime show, on July 19.
Does BTS have an official 2026 World Cup song?
No. BTS is not on the official 2026 World Cup album. The official song is “Dai Dai”, by Shakira and Burna Boy. Videos claiming otherwise are fan-made or made with artificial intelligence.
Which BTS member performed at the 2022 World Cup?
Jung Kook. He sang “Dreamers”, with Fahad Al Kubaisi, at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar on November 20, 2022.
Where can I watch BTS’s World Cup performance?
BTS’s full performance at the final’s halftime show is on FIFA’s official YouTube channel.
Did you watch the show live? Tell us in the comments. 💜⚽
