Justin Bieber performs during the Topps Final Halftime Show the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Canadian hitmaker’s stripped-down performance of “Everything Hallelujah” sparked debate on social media over the energy he brought to the show, which also featured Madonna, Shakira, Burna Boy, BTS and more.
When it was announced that Justin Bieber would be joining the likes of Madonna, BTS, Shakira, Burna Boy and more during the during yesterday’s first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show (July 19), many were curious to see what he would perform on the field.
Bieber was introduced by Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis: “All right, young man,” he told the pop star. “Let’s go! It’s your big shot. OK. Listen to me. Go out there. Don’t be nervous. Nobody’s watching. Make us proud.”
Bieber brought his acoustic guitar to perform a stripped-down version of his Swag II hit, “Everything Hallelujah,” during the final match between Spain and Argentina. His set served as the downtempo moment of the 11-minute halftime show, slotted in the middle of high-energy sets from the other performers.
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As with most things Bieber does, his performance became a hot topic on social media. Some loved the passion and soul he brought to the moment, while others thought the downbeat ballad brought the energy of the manic performance down.
But the “Daisies” singer wasn’t met with all criticism. Liam Gallagher of Oasis called the entire halftime show a "bad trip," but came to Bieber’s defense, simply tweeting: “Justin rules"
Gallagher doubled down, responding to a few users who were criticizing Bieber’s performance. “Thank you, Justin Bieber, for absolutely destroying the mood,” someone commented. “BEHAVE,” replied Gallagher.
“Who thought Justin Bieber playing some acoustic Hallelujah song was going to slap??” a user going by the name Nick O’Neill posted. “ME,” Gallagher boldly responded.
Sean Ono Lennon — son of Yoko Ono and the late John Lennon — defended Bieber’s performance on X, too, sharing that he had “respect” for the singer: “Bieber alone on an acoustic no backing track singing live. Respect.”
Lennon commented that Bieber “was the only performer to play live all day,” adding: “And he was alone on an acoustic [guitar]. That’s not easy to do.”
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Bieber also headlined Coachella this year. While he dedicated most of his set to music from Swag and Swag II, there was a throwback section of his set, where he brought his laptop on-stage to watch and perform some of his older hits, via YouTube.
While that act divided fans online, a string of artists including Geese, The Strokes and Addison Rae showed their support for Bieber.
