The star-studded list of performers who will take part in the controversial World Cup final halftime show will not get paid for it.
Just like acts who take to the stage at the Super Bowl, the musical guests will not be given any money for performing at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
It was announced earlier this week that the first-ever World Cup final halftime show will be headlined by Madonna, Shakira and K-pop band BTS.
But, instead of paying its performers, FIFA said the show would instead support their Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising $100million to help children access education and soccer.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said it would bring together ‘music and football on the biggest stage in sport for a very special cause.’
‘When you have a position of responsibility, you want to do everything you can to have a real impact,’ Infantino said at the Global Citizen NOW conference in New York on Thursday.
Shakira and Madonna will not get paid for performing at the World Cup halftime show
Instead, the exposure they will get from the huge TV audience will be their reward for singing
‘Not everyone can become a world champion, but everyone can become a little bit better by having the right education. So we embrace that.’
While some fans were left excited by the prospect of a halftime show, others weren’t as pleased and quickly rushed to social media – and The Daily Mail comments – to vent their fury.
One disgruntled supporter said: ‘Could they not have got 3 current stars from the USA, Mexico & Canada? Would have made a lot more sense!’
‘Well at least I know what I won’t be watching. Thanks for the heads up,’ another brutally wrote in response to a post about the line-up.
‘The worst lineup in the history of fifa. You can’t change my mind,’ another wrote.
Meanwhile, one fan said: ‘Leave that nonsense to Super Bowl, soccer doesn’t need cheerleaders’.
Some fans took issue with the individual performers, with one user commenting: ‘Madonna’s a bit past it isn’t she? Who even wants a half time show anyway?’
‘Them trying to sneak in BTS with these talented ppl [sic] like we would notice,’ another said.
‘Shakira again? She did this with JLo at the Super Bowl…,’ another fan said.
While some fans were left excited by the prospect of a halftime show, others were furious
The show will be curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who came up with the idea four years ago while watching the previous World Cup.
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.
The Super Bowl is famed for its halftime show, attracting the world’s biggest stars for spectacular performances. This year featured Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny.
Previous headliners included Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Prince, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna.
But halftime shows are not commonplace in soccer, with events such as the Champions League final featuring a prematch concert. On May 30, the Killers will headline a concert before European club soccer’s biggest game between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal in Budapest.
