On July 19, MetLife Stadium will host the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show, with BTS taking the stage as co-headliners alongside Madonna and Shakira. It will be the first time all seven members have appeared together at a World Cup. Four years ago, Jungkook stood alone at the Qatar 2022 opening ceremony and performed "Dreamers," becoming the first Korean artist to headline a World Cup anthem performance. This time, the full group returns, stepping off their ongoing ARIRANG World Tour to make the appearance.The show is confirmed to run 11 minutes in total, with the setlist yet to be announced. Shared across three headlining acts, BTS are estimated to have five to seven minutes on stage. Within that tight window, every song choice carries real weight.
Three directions are currently under discussion：
"Dreamers" is the most symbolically charged option. Jungkook's solo performance at the Qatar 2022 opening ceremony has accumulated over 450 million views on FIFA's official YouTube channel, making it the most-watched K-pop World Cup release in history. Performing it as a full group would bring a sense of completion to something that began with one member four years ago. Korea Herald noted the song "remains a strong candidate for the performance."
A second direction would see BTS draw from their existing catalogue — whether from the ARIRANG comeback album or from established global hits like "Dynamite" and "Butter." These tracks carry broader mainstream recognition and would land more directly with a worldwide audience that extends well beyond the fanbase.
The third possibility is a song written specifically for this occasion, following the tradition of artists releasing original material tied to landmark events.
