International Celebration
The halftime show included sets from international stars J Balvin, Tems, Doja Cat, and Emmanuel Kelly
The FIFA Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain commenced on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and the halftime included a surprise performance by Coldplay, along with sets from the previously announced international lineup of Doja Cat (representing North America), Tems (representing Africa), and J Balvin (representing South America).
The 15-minute set took place on a stage crafted by halftime presenters Global Citizen and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. It opened with J Balvin delivering “Mi Gente,” which he performed with a bevy of backing drummers and dancers. Tems followed with “Love Me JeJe,” appearing solo before several dancers joined her. J Balvin then returned to deliver “Reggaeton.”
For Doja Cat’s performance of “Woman,” she and her dancers took advantage of the multi-platform stage. Coldplay closed out the halftime festivities with their unannounced set. Joined by Australian singer-songwriter Emmanuel Kelly, he and Martin duetted “A Sky Full of Stars.” Balvin, Tems, and Doja Cat, along with the dancers, joined them onstage for Coldplay’s uplifting finale. “I’m so happy that we are all here together,” Kelly said to the audience’s cheers to close out the halftime event.
As Rolling Stone reported, the show took place on an innovative stage located in the upper stands of the venue, which eliminated the need to setup between halves during the game. It “preserves the integrity of the pitch,” Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen told RS. “By building our platform high in the stands, we ensured that the newly installed natural grass remains untouched while delivering an unforgettable show that is designed to be time-efficient and visually stunning.”
With the halftime show and its partnership with FIFA, Global Citizen hopes to raise $100 million for global education access. “I’m proud to represent America on this unique stage that will bring people from all corners of the world together,” Doja Cat told Rolling Stone ahead of the event. “I’m also extremely grateful to continue to support global education efforts by raising funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.”
