Following the success of the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, which was produced by Global Citizen and helped raise $60 million for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, this year’s festival will help solve three core issues perpetuating cycles of extreme poverty across the world: create opportunities for 2 million children to go to school, support 1.5 million smallholder farmers, and provide electricity for 2.5 million homes. Tickets to the Global Citizen Festival are free and can be earned by taking action on these urgent issues on the Global Citizen app or at globalcitizenfestival.com.
This year, global citizens have a new way to take action and secure tickets to the Global Citizen Festival. After completing their action journeys on the Global Citizen app and earning enough points, users can now choose between two ways to redeem them: enter the free ticket lottery, or make a $25 charitable donation to instantly secure their ticket.
All donations will give back to New York City. Funds raised will go to City Parks Foundation to support their free programming and community engagement initiatives in parks across all five boroughs, as well as to organizations helping those experiencing homelessness across the city. Tickets available through this option are limited, and the majority of Festival tickets will continue to be available for free by taking action through the Global Citizen app.
“I believe all of us can do something to make the world a better place, so I’m proud to be performing at the Global Citizen Festival for the first time,” said Lainey Wilson. “It’s a chance to come together and support important work around children’s education, farmers and food security, and access to electricity — and have a whole lot of fun while we’re at it. Can’t wait to see y’all in Central Park!”
“It’s time to gather once again on the Great Lawn, in the middle of New York City, to tell the world an end to extreme poverty is possible,” said Hugh Jackman, Global Citizen Ambassador. “There’s something every one of us can do to change the world, and what better way to participate than by taking action with Global Citizen, earning those points, and celebrating with a day of music and advocacy to close out the summer. See you there!”
“Over the last 30 years, the world has made extraordinary progress toward ending extreme poverty. In 1990, around 2.3 billion people were living in extreme poverty. Today, that number has fallen to around 830 million, or roughly one in 10 people globally. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because leaders invested in people and communities, businesses stepped up, and citizens demanded action,” said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO, Global Citizen. “The lesson is that extreme poverty can be defeated, and that progress is a choice. The question facing us and our leaders today is simple: will we be the generation that finishes the job, or the generation that allows decades of progress to unravel?”
The 2026 Global Citizen Festival is presented by Cisco. Major Partners are Authentic Brands Group, Bridgewater Associates, Delta Air Lines, MetLife, PayPal, and P&G; Production Partner Live Nation; Exclusive U.S. Audio Partner iHeartMedia; and Location Partner NYC Parks. Global Citizen Festival is produced by Emmy Award winning production companies Done+Dusted and Diversified Production Services.
To earn free tickets to the 2026 Global Citizen Festival, download the Global Citizen app or visit globalcitizenfestival.com and take action towards three campaigns goals:
Goal 1: Create opportunities for 2 million children to go to school
Every child deserves the chance to learn, dream, and build a bright future, yet millions of children around the world still lack access to schools, medicine, and nutritious meals. This year's Global Citizen Festival campaign is calling on the governments of Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Spain, and Norway, as well as businesses and philanthropists, to collectively contribute $100 million to provide 2 million children with access to education, sports, school meals and healthcare through the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, Gavi, Education Cannot Wait, GPEI and the Child Nutrition Fund.
Goal 2: Support 1.5 million smallholder farmers who feed the world
The rural farmers feeding their communities are often at risk of going hungry themselves. Millions of smallholder farmers around the world still lack the seeds, tools and financing they need to grow more crops, earn a reliable income and support their families and communities. That’s why the 2026 Global Citizen Festival is asking the governments of Spain, Norway, Ireland and Kenya, along with businesses and philanthropists, to collectively contribute $100 million to strengthen food security for 1.5 million smallholder farmers across Africa and the Brazilian Amazon through IFAD and Amazônia+21’s Rural+Green Fund.
Goal 3: Turn the lights on for 2.5 Million Homes
Access to electricity changes everything – it means students can study after sunset, health clinics can keep lifesaving medicines cold, and families can safely light their homes and prepare meals. Continuing the momentum of Global Citizen's Scaling Up Renewables in Africa campaign, which helped secure over €15.5 billion in funding, this year’s Global Citizen Festival campaign will help expand clean energy and microgrids across vulnerable small island nations and Indigenous communities in the Indo-Pacific region. Working alongside Pacific leaders from Fiji, Palau and Tuvalu, Global Citizen is calling on the Australian government to help mobilize the $1.5 billion needed to help Pacific nations withstand volatile fuel prices.
Global Citizen is grateful for the support of media and marketing partners including Branded Cities, Captivate, GSTV, Intersection, Kevani, NYC Ferry and Wally.
For more information download the Global Citizen app or visit globalcitizenfestival.com.
