The Muppets Perform Seven Nation Army at the FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show

The Muppets took the field at MetLife Stadium on Sunday for the first ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show, joining an orchestral rendition of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” during the Spain vs Argentina final. Animal, Janice, and Floyd Pepper appeared as part of the segment, with incoming New York Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel leading the arrangement of the 2003 rock anthem, a song that has become a staple of soccer stadiums around the world. The Muppets’ set landed between Madonna’s opening performance and BTS’s rendition of “Dynamite,” giving the puppet troupe one of the more unexpected and widely shared moments of the night.

The halftime show, officially billed as the FIFA World Cup 2026 Topps Final Halftime Show, was curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and produced in partnership with Global Citizen, Live Nation, and Done and Dusted as part of a push to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The eleven minute set brought together more than 350 performers. Madonna opened the show alongside soccer legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, performing her 2000 hit “Music.” After the Muppets and Dudamel handed things off to BTS, Jason Sudeikis appeared in character as Ted Lasso to bring out Justin Bieber for a reworked version of “Everything Hallelujah” with lyrics adjusted to reference the World Cup. Shakira followed with Burna Boy, and the show closed with the live premiere of Coldplay’s new song “We Dance,” performed alongside Staten Island’s PS22 Chorus.

Reaction to the Muppets’ cameo was one of the most talked about parts of the broadcast, with fans across social media zeroing in on Animal keeping time behind the drums for a stadium anthem that has soundtracked soccer celebrations for two decades. The full halftime show marked FIFA’s first attempt at a Super Bowl style production for its championship match, and the Muppets’ brief but memorable turn suggests it will not be the last time Kermit and company find their way onto one of the world’s biggest stages.