NEW JERSEY: Sometimes the biggest highlight of a World Cup final happens away from the football pitch, fans around the world were left smiling after popular American streamer IShowSpeed unexpectedly met all seven members of BTS backstage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, turning a spontaneous fan moment into one of the event’s most viral highlights.
Social media quickly filled with videos of Watkins rushing backstage from his private box after his brother spotted the K-pop group nearby. Searching for the members, the streamer eventually found them and asked for a photo before hugging each one individually, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook.
Watkins added his own signature flair to the encounter, performing his well known back flip in front of the group and even barking alongside them, adding to the excitement of the moment.
BTS leader RM greeted Watkins by his full name, afterward, the full group posed together for a photo, with Jungkook flashing a wide eyed thumbs up in one widely shared image. The moment quickly spread across social media, with millions of fans watching the interaction unfold online.
BTS was at the stadium to take part in the first ever World Cup Final halftime show, the performance marked a major moment for the group, who joined an 11 minute show produced in partnership with Global Citizen.
The band shared the stage with other global stars, including Madonna and Justin Bieber, delivering an energetic performance of their hit song “Dynamite” as part of the tournament’s biggest showcase.
The backstage encounter between Watkins and BTS added an unscripted, lighthearted moment to what was already a historic night for both the band and the tournament itself. For fans of both BTS and IShowSpeed, the crossover moment offered a rare glimpse of two very different corners of internet and pop culture fame colliding in real time.
As clips of the meeting continue to circulate, the moment has become one of the most talked about behind the scenes highlights from this year’s World Cup final, adding to the buzz already surrounding BTS landmark halftime performance alongside some of music biggest names.
The timing only added to its appeal, coming just before BTS stepped onto the world’s biggest sporting stage for a performance years in the making.
For a group that built much of its global fanbase through social media and direct fan engagement, the candid, unplanned meeting with one of the internet’s most watched streamers felt fitting. Fans flooded comment sections with reactions, with many calling it one of the most memorable World Cup moments so far, on or off the field.
