Goulding would bring a pop catalogue built around songs including *Starry Eyed* and *Love Me Like You Do* to one of football’s biggest global audiences. Her appearance would also arrive during a new musical phase, with the singer reportedly preparing an album and recently releasing *Black Prada Dress*.
She has described the project as a more liberated chapter in her career, writing: “O álbum veio da ideia de que talvez possamos saber demais. Existe um certo tipo de liberdade na facilidade de não saber”. Goulding also said the new material represents “a fase mais honesta” of her songwriting, with less pressure to please anyone else.
The report also says Goulding has recently appeared at high-profile events, including the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden. Recalling her first meeting with Swift, she said: “Eu estava muito nervosa, porque ela é uma lenda, e lembro de pensar: 'Por favor, não aja como uma idiota, Ellie, não diga nada estúpido'”.
That blend of music-world visibility and personal honesty could make the halftime performance feel bigger than a conventional set. It would be a crossover moment: a pop star stepping into the emotional centre of a knockout tie.
The immediate storyline is now the quarter-final itself. If the reported show goes ahead, Goulding’s performance will share the spotlight with a match whose winner is expected to face Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-final.