BTS and IShowSpeed turn World Cup hallway into fan-cam heaven
The streamer met all seven BTS members at MetLife Stadium after their World Cup halftime show, and his Instagram video included a backflip.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
IShowSpeed’s World Cup run picked up one more surreal scene on Sunday: a hallway meet-up with BTS at MetLife Stadium, complete with a casual backflip.
The encounter happened at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where Spain beat Argentina, according to Mashable. BTS had just appeared in the tournament’s first halftime show, and all seven members, RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook, crossed paths with the YouTube creator backstage.
In a video posted to Instagram by IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr., the streamer greets the South Korean group as both sides gush about being fans of one another. The clip also shows Speed throwing a backflip during the meeting.
BTS were part of a stacked halftime lineup curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Global Citizen, Mashable reported. The group performed “Dynamite,” their 2020 Grammy-nominated single and first No. 1 hit in the United States.
The show also featured Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy, the Muppets and others, according to Mashable. Football greats Ronaldo and Ronaldinho appeared as well, along with Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt in character from Ted Lasso.
Speed’s tournament takeover
Speed, 21, has been one of the most visible U.S. creators around the tournament, according to Mashable. He has streamed matches for his millions of followers through an official partnership involving FIFA, YouTube and Fox Sports, Yahoo Sports reported.
He also hosted the first YouTube FIFA Creator Cup, a creator exhibition match staged in New York City’s Central Park the previous Sunday, according to Mashable. At that event, Mashable Culture Editor Crystal Bell asked him to build a dream World Cup team using characters from One Piece.
The creator’s tournament has already produced several viral moments. Mashable reported that he drew attention early in the event when he did not recognize New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was seated beside him at MetLife Stadium during the opening 2026 World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco.
The tournament also brought a more serious episode. Mashable reported that FIFA investigated after alleged racist abuse directed at Speed was captured during one of his YouTube livestreams from the World Cup.
BTS are due back at MetLife Stadium in a few weeks for more U.S. dates on their ARIRANG World Tour, according to Mashable.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.