Justin Bieber’s World Cup Sneakers Raise $26,400 for Charity
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final delivered drama long after the final whistle — and not just on the pitch. A pair of custom SKYLRK sneakers worn by Justin Bieber during his halftime show at the Spain v. Argentina final has just pulled in serious cash for charity at Christie's.
The low-top Matter Daddy shoes, in a “latte” colorway with soft pink detailing from Bieber’s SKYLRK apparel line, sold for $26,400 — more than 10 times their pre-auction estimate of $2,000–$4,000. He wore them briefly while performing the acoustic ballad “Everything Hallelujah” during the July 19 show at MetLife Stadium, the first-ever halftime spectacular at a World Cup final.
That single lot wasn’t just a fashion flex. Every dollar goes to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund as part of Christie's One Goal auction, a $100 million initiative designed to widen access to both education and football for children worldwide.
Bieber’s sneakers were just one piece of a star-studded memorabilia haul. The halftime show itself was a stacked bill: Madonna, BTS, Shakira, Burna Boy, the Muppets’ Electric Mayhem band, Gustavo Dudamel with the New York Philharmonic, and a finale curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, who closed with the original song “We Dance” alongside the PS22 Chorus.
Christie’s confirmed that Bieber debuted this specific Matter Daddy colorway on World Cup final night, and the auction built on that moment. Other items from the show surged past expectations as fans and collectors pushed bids into headline territory.
- Shakira’s bright yellow costume from the official “Dai Dai” music video went for $8,250.
- An Earth Ball signed by Shakira, Kaka and FIFA president Gianni Infantino brought in $3,850.
- Madonna’s bright pink, bedazzled fingerless gloves, worn during her opening halftime set, commanded a huge $41,800.
Then BTS took over the auction room much as they did the stage with their Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Dynamite.” A collection of pieces worn by the group raised a combined $300,300 for the charity. Among the standout lots:
- RM’s chunky Untitled-03 black boots: $19,800
- j-hope’s black and red fingerless gloves: $28,600
- Jin’s red leather belt: $16,500
- Suga’s red leather pants with a sewn-in silk scarf listing all the BTS members: $33,000
- V’s custom black silk scarf featuring the group’s name, demon faces and soccer balls: $46,200
- Jung Kook’s red, black and white motocross jacket: $46,200
- Jimin’s white and red jersey with BTS patches: a remarkable $110,000
Coldplay’s imprint on the night also found its way under the hammer. A two-page handwritten lyric sheet for “We Dance” — lyrics on one page, the halftime setlist on the other, signed by Chris Martin with a message of love — sold for $15,400. A blue World Cup Earth ball inscribed with the names of the halftime performers by Martin cleared more than $6,000.
One final, glittering reminder that in a World Cup built on moments, even a pair of sneakers can help rewrite the scoreline for children far from the stadium lights.
