Only a very small group of global music stars have ever crossed over to perform at both a FIFA World Cup and a Super Bowl halftime show, with Shakira standing as the most iconic name among them.
The Super Bowl halftime show and World Cup ceremonies operate on different cultural stages, with the NFL spectacle driven by U.S. entertainment production and the FIFA tournament leaning into global and host-nation identity.
Alongside the Colombian superstar’s 2020 Super Bowl appearance with Jennifer Lopez and her long association with World Cup music, only a very small group of artists—including Ricky Martin—appear in both histories.
Shakira
Shakira’s connection to the FIFA World Cup is one of the most documented in modern sports entertainment history. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, she performed “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”, the official anthem.
She returned in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, performing “La La La (Brazil 2014)” during the closing ceremony, further strengthening her role as FIFA’s most consistent global music ambassador of the 2010s era.
Her Super Bowl appearance came at Super Bowl LIV (2020), where she co-headlined the halftime show in Miami alongside Jennifer Lopez. Her set included major hits such as “She Wolf”, “Whenever, Wherever” and “Hips Don’t Lie”, and featured guest appearances from artists like Bad Bunny and J Balvin.
This performance became one of the most watched Super Bowl halftime shows in history and is frequently cited by ESPN and NFL coverage as a landmark moment for Latin representation on the global stage.
Jennifer Lopez
Claudia Leitte, Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull perform during the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil (Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Jennifer Lopez also appears on both sides of this rare crossover thanks to her participation in FIFA’s biggest ceremony and the NFL’s biggest show. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, she performed “We Are One (Ole Ola)” alongside Pitbull and Claudia Leitte during the opening ceremony.
The song served as the official anthem of the tournament and was broadcast globally as part of FIFA’s main entertainment showcase. Her SB moment came in 2020 at Super Bowl LIV, where she co-headlined the halftime show with Shakira.
Her performance included signature hits such as “Jenny From the Block”, “On The Floor”, and “Let’s Get Loud” becoming one of the most discussed halftime shows in recent NFL history due to its production scale and cultural impact.
Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin is the earliest artist to connect both worlds, and his role is considered foundational in World Cup music history. It is widely credited with changing how FIFA integrates pop music into its tournaments.
At the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, he performed “La Copa de la Vida (The Cup of Life)”, which became one of the most iconic soccer anthems ever created. The song established the modern model of global pop songs tied to tournaments.
Decades later, he appeared as a guest performer at Super Bowl LX (2026) during the halftime show featuring Bad Bunny. There he did his own interpretation of the song “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii“.
