Photos: Ghetto Kids rehearse with Shakira, Burna Boy ahead of World Cup final halftime show

• Ghetto Kids have shared rehearsal photos with Shakira and Burna Boy ahead of tonight's World Cup final halftime show.

• The images show the Ugandan dancers rehearsing, posing for photos and performing with the two global music stars at MetLife Stadium.

• Shakira personally invited the Ghetto Kids after recognising their dance performances to Dai Dai, the tournament's official song.

Uganda's Ghetto Kids have shared their first behind-the-scenes photos from rehearsals with Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian Grammy winner Burna Boy as excitement builds ahead of tonight's FIFA World Cup final halftime show at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The dance troupe posted a series of images on Instagram showing them laughing, dancing and rehearsing with the two global stars. 

Burna Boy also shared a video and photos on X, writing: "Sunday Prep! @shakira See you at the @FIFAWorldCup Final! Dai dai, ikó, dale, allez, let's go." 

In images, Shakira dances in the middle of a circle of Ghetto Kids while Burna Boy joins in with energetic dance moves. 

The Colombian singer is also seen posing with several smiling members of the troupe, many flashing peace signs at the camera.

Other photographs show Burna Boy chatting and laughing with the children, while another captures both stars singing into microphones as the youngsters perform around them. 

The rehearsals appear to be taking place backstage at MetLife Stadium, where the World Cup final will be played.

The Ghetto Kids accompanied the photos with the caption: "The whole 'Dai Dai' stars are here now! And we are more than ready to rock the world this Sunday at the FIFA World Cup Halftime Show! See you."

This will be one other major milestone for the Kampala-based dance group, which began on the streets of Katwe before rising to international fame through viral dance videos. 

Founded in 2014 by Dauda Kavuma, the group first caught global attention after dancing to Eddy Kenzo's Sitya Loss. They later featured in French Montana's Unforgettable music video, appeared at events linked to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and earned a Golden Buzzer on Britain's Got Talent in 2023.

The invitation to perform at the World Cup final came directly from Shakira. 

While unveiling Dai Dai, the tournament's official song featuring Burna Boy, she revealed that she had invited the Ugandan dancers to join her on stage after their performances to the song gained attention online. 

However, the journey to New Jersey was not without uncertainty.

In May, fears emerged that the Ghetto Kids could miss the show after Ebola-related travel restrictions affecting travellers from Uganda raised concerns about their entry into the United States. 

Their manager, Dauda Kavuma, remained optimistic, saying the group believed everything would work out. Those concerns were eventually resolved, allowing the dancers to travel to the United States and complete rehearsals with Shakira and Burna Boy. 

Tonight's performance will form part of the first Super Bowl-style halftime show in FIFA World Cup history. 

The musical segment is expected to last about 11 minutes and will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to expand access to education and football opportunities for children worldwide. The halftime show will feature Shakira, Burna Boy and several other international stars before millions of viewers across the globe.