MIAMI.- The 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will have a moment dedicated to the Venezuelan people. For the first time in the history of the tournament, the halftime show will include a tribute to Venezuela after the earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 that hit the north-central part of the country on June 24.
The tribute will be headed by the Venezuelan director Gustavo Dudamelwho will direct a historical ensemble made up of musicians from the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. It will be the first time that both groups share the stage.
“My heart remains with the people of Venezuela in these difficult days,” Dudamel wrote when confirming his participation. The teacher stated that the presentation represents “a powerful expression of the strength and resilience” of the country.
The performance will be part of the first halftime show organized at a World Cup final, a production promoted by FIFA and Global Citizen, with the artistic curation of Chris Martin, leader of Coldplay.
A message of solidarity
In addition to the musical tribute, the event will serve to reinforce the international call for support for communities affected by the earthquakes. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the earthquakes left thousands of victims and material damage estimated at 6.7 billion dollars.
The executive director of Global Citizen, Hugh Evans, assured that the tribute seeks to draw the attention of world leaders to the need to increase aid to Venezuela and highlighted that the union of both orchestras symbolizes “unity and love” in the face of the tragedy.
The 11-minute show will also feature Shakira, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, BTS, Coldplay, the PS22 choir and the Muppetsin a production designed to be developed without affecting the conditions of the New York New Jersey Stadium playing field.
