Shakira illuminated the stage during the World Cup 2026 halftime show with a custom Roberto Cavalli creation, drawing inspiration from a sunset and paying homage to her previous World Cup performances. The Colombian artist performed "Dai Dai," the official 2026 World Cup anthem with Burna Boy, at MetLife Stadium.

The one-of-a-kind outfit, designed by Roberto Cavalli's creative director Fausto Puglisi, was adorned with more than 200,000 Swarovski crystals. The ensemble featured a plunging lace-up bodysuit with deep side cutouts, paired with a flowing chiffon skirt. Hand-embroidered over 120 hours across two weeks, the crystals caught the stadium lights, creating a dazzling effect.

Puglisi stated that Shakira requested a sunset color palette, which he found in Mexico City, inspired by a building's vibrant pink, orange, and yellow hues. "I wanted the look to feel strong, joyful, and celebratory — something that reflected the energy of the performance but also honored the significance of the occasion," Shakira told Vogue.

The design also served as a callback to Shakira's looks from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where she performed "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)." For that tournament, she wore a neon crop top and silk-fringed skirt for the closing ceremony, and a black-and-white tribal-print set for the opening. The late Roberto Cavalli designed those outfits, with Puglisi leading the house since 2020.

Shakira described the 2026 performance outfit as a "full circle moment," bridging past and future. "It’s a full circle moment — the colors are similar too," she said. "We are paying tribute to the past and looking toward the future."

For the majority of her set, Shakira performed barefoot before changing into coordinating pink-and-yellow booties and gold Swarovski sunglasses for the show's finale. Her 34 backup dancers also wore Roberto Cavalli outfits in the same sunset palette, featuring variations of crop tops with skirts or baggy trousers.

The halftime show was part of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund's curation, which also included performances by other artists and was led by conductor Gustavo Dudamel with an orchestra. Shakira’s custom Roberto Cavalli look for the 2026 World Cup halftime show was 16 years in the making, symbolizing a connection between her past and present performances on the world's biggest soccer stage.