The worlds of music and football are about to collide in spectacular fashion when FIFA hosts its inaugural FIFA Club World Cup opening ceremony and final halftime show.
Africa is proudly in the spotlight as the FIFA Club World Cup halftime show during the final match on Sunday, July 13, will be headlined by Nigerian multi-Grammy winner Tems alongside Colombian superstar J Balvin and American rap sensation Doja Cat.
The opening ceremony will feature performances by Morocco-born rapper French Montana alongside Swae Lee from the USA on Saturday, June 14.
The tournament will crown the first official FIFA club world champion and is expected to draw the world’s largest audience for a global club football competition.
Reactions
FIFA says the stadium will “pulse with drummers, dancers and a choir" and that the celebration will "culminate in a powerful tribute to the 32 participating clubs".
French Montana is clearly ecstatic, stating in a FIFA statement, “Man, this is big – the FIFA Club World Cup opening ceremony! I can’t wait to bring that real energy, connect with all the fans and celebrate what soccer and music can do when they come together.”
Tems called the announcement a "beautiful moment", according to Variety Magazine.
“We’re going to bring the world together for a beautiful moment to celebrate football, feel the unity that music brings… I can’t wait to see you at the Club World Cup final,” she says.
The halftime show is being curated by English singer and producer Chris Martin of Coldplay and is set to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, aiming to raise $100 million to improve access to quality education.
Global education
FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that tickets sold for the show will be invested into the education fund project.
“I am delighted to share that FIFA and Global Citizen will collaborate for the FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show to be headlined by J Balvin, Doja Cat and Tems… Together we are going to make history on a special occasion where football and music unite the world.”
The opening match will see Egyptian club Al Ahly FC face off America’s Inter Miami CF at the Hard Rock Stadium.
This tournament will feature 32 teams from all six confederations, with 63 matches across 11 host cities in the US.
