BTS Jimin’s World Cup halftime show shirt sells for $110,000 at Christie’s charity auction

A shirt worn by BTS member Jimin during the FIFA World Cup 2026 final halftime performance achieved the highest sale price at a recent charity auction hosted by Christie’s, fetching $110,000. This sale marked the standout bid in the fundraiser aimed at supporting the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

The auction, titled One Goal: An Auction to Benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, concluded after a week-long online event. It gathered bids from 24 countries and raised a total of $652,630. Items worn by BTS members during their performance of “Dynamite” accounted for nearly half of the total proceeds, underscoring the group’s significant draw in charitable sales.

In total, seven items from BTS’s World Cup halftime appearance sold for $300,300. Alongside Jimin’s shirt, other pieces included V’s scarf and Jungkook’s jacket, each selling for $46,200, and Suga’s pants for $33,000. Additional items like J-Hope’s gloves, RM’s boots, and Jin’s belt generated prices ranging from $16,500 to $28,600.

Notably, Christie’s had initially estimated the value of each BTS item to be between $1,000 and $5,000. The final bids significantly exceeded these predictions, reflecting a strong collector interest and the symbolic value of the garments tied to the major global event.

The official match ball from the 2026 World Cup final also sold for $110,000, matching the top bid for Jimin’s shirt. Other notable auction highlights included an Argentina national team jersey signed by Lionel Messi, which fetched $66,000, and a pair of gloves worn and autographed by Madonna during the World Cup opening halftime show, sold for $41,800.

Among the pop music memorabilia, Justin Bieber’s Skylrk sneakers from a 2025 halftime acoustic performance attracted a winning bid of $26,400. These sales collectively demonstrate the high market value for items linked to iconic performances at major global sporting events.

Proceeds from the auction will be donated directly to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The fund’s mission is to expand educational opportunities and improve access to football for children in underserved communities, aligning charitable giving with sport and education.

The strong demand for BTS memorabilia at this event signals the continued commercial and cultural power of the group, particularly in the context of international sports spectacles. This auction underscores how concert performances tied to large-scale events like the World Cup can generate lasting fan engagement and philanthropic impact.

While the auction results confirm BTS’s significant merchandising appeal, the broader implications for the band’s music catalog and touring plans remain unverified. However, such high valuations for performance-worn items could enhance the group's brand value and influence future collaborative opportunities between K-pop artists and global sporting organizations.

This event also highlights the evolving economics of the genre, where physical artifacts linked to performances can command premium prices, supplementing traditional revenue streams from music sales and live shows. For fans, the auction may reinforce the emotional connection and investment in BTS’s global cultural footprint.

Further details about the specific bidders or the future use of similar memorabilia have not been disclosed, leaving some aspects of the auction’s long-term impact on the music and sports crossover market open to observation. Nonetheless, the success of the Christie’s auction illustrates the potent combination of pop culture and charitable causes on an international scale.