Justin Bieber took the energy down a notch at the 2026 World Cup final game, offering a soothing rendition of one of his hit songs to thousands of spectators during the halftime show.
Following energetic performances from Madonna and BTS, the Canadian singer stepped onto the field in New Jersey on Sunday, brandishing an acoustic guitar as he sang out to more than 80,000 soccer fans watching the Argentina vs. Spain final.
The 32-year-old artist, introduced with a surprise appearance by Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, sang a special version of “Everything Hallelujah” from his 2025 album, Swag II, adding “it’s the World Cup, hallelujah” to his lyrics.
Some fans loved Bieber’s pared-down singing, while others called the artist out on his lack of energy. (Evrim Aydın/Anadolu via Getty Images)
His performance — part of a 27-minute halftime break — came after Madonna kicked off the show with a rendition of her 2000 dance-pop hit “Music.”
The Muppets accompanying an orchestral rendition of Seven Nation Army followed, along with South Korean boy band BTS giving a choreography-filled moment with their 2020 song “Dynamite.” Shakira and Burna Boy brought the energy back up after Bieber left the field, stealing the show with “Dai Dai.”
Shakira followed Bieber’s performance with an energetic rendition of “Dai Dai” alongside Burna Boy. (Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Bieber’s pared-down performance left many fans raving over his appearance at the MetLife Stadium, which has been rebranded to the New York New Jersey Stadium for the 2026 World Cup.
Others were disappointed by the oddly solemn version of his song, with some comparing his singing to a funeral performance or gospel music.
It’s not the first time Bieber has faced heat for his recent performances. At the 2026 Grammys in February, the pop star drew criticism for taking the stage in nothing but underwear and socks for a performance he reportedly spent 15 minutes rehearsing.
In April, Coachella also divided the internet. Many people slammed Bieber’s “underproduced” set, for which he was reportedly paid $10 million. Some drew comparisons to Sabrina Carpenter, who pulled out all the stops with her set the night before.
For years, Bieber has been candid about his health struggles. In January 2020, he revealed he was diagnosed with Lyme disease. The singer had been misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and put on medication by a psychiatrist, he shared in a docuseries at the time.
Last year, he took to his Instagram Stories with some words on his mental health.
“People keep telling me to heal,” he penned. “Don’t you think if I could have fixed myself, I would have already? I know I’m broken. I know I have anger issues. I tried to do the work my whole life … and it just keeps making me more tired and more angry. The harder I try to grow, the more focused on myself I am.”