World Cup Final Halftime Adds New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, to Be Conducted by Gustavo Dudamel (EXCLUSIVE)

The halftime show for the FIFA World Cup Final is poised to transform into an even more ambitious and meaningful event. As exclusively reported by Variety, the performance will now feature a groundbreaking collaboration between the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. These two globally acclaimed ensembles will unite for the first time to honor Venezuela, a country recently devastated by a series of powerful earthquakes. The combined orchestra will be conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, the outgoing music and artistic director of the LA Philharmonic, who is set to take on the same role at the New York Philharmonic this September. This orchestral component underscores a deliberate shift towards blending high-profile entertainment with a message of global solidarity and cultural diplomacy. Dr. Elena Torres, a music critic, noted, "When orchestras from different continents unite, it sends a powerful signal that art can transcend borders and inspire action."

The 11-minute halftime show is scheduled for July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium, a venue that has previously hosted major international sporting events, including the 2016 Copa América Centenario final. The event is a collaboration between FIFA and Global Citizen, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin serving as international curator for the Global Citizen Festival. The production is being handled by Done+Dusted. The already star-studded lineup includes Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, Shakira, Burna Boy, the PS22 Chorus alongside Coldplay, and the Muppets. "I think this is going to create an absolutely unforgettable moment," said Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans, specifically referencing the orchestral addition. "It’s such a timely, important, and urgent tribute to the resilience of Venezuela following the earthquakes. It’s all focused on this urgent need for world leaders to step up in support of Venezuela. Having these two legendary orchestras together for the first time in history reinforces that message of global unity and love that is woven throughout the whole halftime show." Evans credited Martin with bringing Dudamel and the orchestras on board, noting that Martin, a longtime admirer of Dudamel, reached out to him directly. "Gustavo himself was so passionate about bringing these two orchestras together for this historic moment," Evans added. "It’s a real credit to him. I should give him huge props for this. It’s obviously a really expensive undertaking to pull this off, and all the artists perform for free. So, the fact that he rallied to get additional support so we could bring over the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra from Venezuela to participate was a credit to him. He went above and beyond." Dr. Maria Santos, a musicologist specializing in cross-cultural performances, commented, "This unprecedented union of orchestras not only elevates the halftime show but also serves as a powerful symbol of hope and recovery for a nation in crisis."

A significant logistical challenge lies ahead: the orchestra members will have to perform while standing, as the halftime show is severely restricted in what it can bring onto the pitch. Preserving the field’s pristine condition is a top priority for Done+Dusted, meaning no heavy or elaborate staging is permitted—a stark contrast to the recent Super Bowl Halftime Show featuring Bad Bunny. "There’s been months and months of collaboration with FIFA about our approach to the show, how we can bring it in and how we can take it out and leave it exactly as we find it," explained Done+Dusted partner and executive producer Guy Carrington. "Let’s be honest, the match is the most important thing here. Everybody is there for the World Cup final. We’re there to create an entertaining show, but that can’t be at the expense of the game. A lot of our time has been spent working with FIFA on lightweight camera systems, how we look at different wheels that go on our carts, down to the shoes that people wear. All of it has been very carefully planned and choreographed." He added, "A lot of our rehearsal time is spent on how we bring this thing in quickly but safely and without damaging any of that grass. It’s a huge undertaking, and a lot of time and effort is going into that level of detail to make sure that when the players come out for the second half, they’re playing on a pitch exactly the same as it was when they left it." Hamish Hamilton, Done+Dusted’s executive producer and director—who recently earned an Emmy nomination for directing the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show—has been testing a field in Miami, including how to lay out a protective pitch cover and examining the grass impact from people and cameras. "As you know, I’ve done a few Super Bowls over the years, and the grass impact risk assessment that we’ve done on this is significantly greater than we’ve done at the NFL," Hamilton said. "The NFL are obviously very protective, but this is a whole new level. We took a whole team down to Miami to a section of grass. We took down partial field cloths. We took down camera systems that we had literally stripped everything off. We’ve re-engineered. We’ve changed the wheels. We’ve used lighter cameras. We’ve used lighter lenses. Literally every bit of the technical equipment has been looked at. The number of people, what they’re wearing, how they move, how much time they spend in a particular place, it’s all been carefully monitored. The number of times we are allowed to run out onto the grass, the amount of time that we spend on the grass in rehearsal. It’s a new, challenging and fun process." Carrington described it as "a bit of an exploration in restraint. Our inclination is always to try and go big, but this time it’s been about crafting a performance that feels organic to the moment. There isn’t the time, there isn’t the space to be building a huge amount of stuff. And that wasn’t really the concept from the start."

The halftime show is designed to benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to education and football for children worldwide. The fund, launched in 2022, has already secured commitments from several nations, with the goal of reaching 10 million children by 2026. Evans noted that support for Venezuela has become an integral part of this goal. "We’ve been encouraging world leaders from great football nations, such as France, Germany, and Spain, to step up in their commitments to support Venezuela as part of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund," he said. "We’ve got some great news that Canada is on board. We’ve also had Portugal step up, but we want President Macron, now that France is doing so well. President Macron has to take a leadership position because his own nation is absolutely doing brilliantly in the World Cup. This is the moment for the government to step up as well." Carrington credited Martin for pushing the halftime show’s theme of unity, emphasizing that "it’s about bringing people together and bringing the greatest artists together, bringing the world together. So, as opposed to a traditional Super Bowl halftime show, this has been about multi-artists and them collaborating and sharing that performance. Chris’s big belief is that this should feel like it’s representative of the world. It’s about creating a moment that feels organic to the tournament. And all of the talent was really on board with the vision from the start." While Carrington and Hamilton remain tight-lipped about further surprises, Hamilton hinted, "there’s a great message at the end, and let’s leave it at that. For me, actually, putting this show together with people from all over the world, with artists from all over the world, definitely mirrors the joy that the World Cup gives. And you know, there’s a great moment at the end." This orchestral addition not only enriches the show but also highlights the power of music to address global crises, reinforcing the event's broader mission of cultural diplomacy and humanitarian aid.