Emmanuel Kelly, who was found as an abandoned baby in Baghdad and overcame all odds to become a music star, is taking the stage at the world's biggest sporting event. The Iraqi-born singer will perform alongside names like Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber and Madonna at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show.
Found in a box in Baghdad
Emmanuel Kelly was found abandoned as a baby in a box in Baghdad. Raised by nuns at Mother Teresa's orphanage, Kelly had severely underdeveloped limbs. At the orphanage, he befriended a boy named Ahmed who had a similar condition.
Life-changing intervention by Australian volunteer
In 1998, Australian humanitarian volunteer Moira Kelly visited the orphanage and witnessed the condition of the two children. After two years of efforts, Moira Kelly managed to bring Emmanuel and Ahmed to Australia for medical treatment. The pair arrived in Australia in 2000 and underwent numerous surgeries to be able to use prosthetic limbs. They were adopted by Moira the same year and officially became Australian citizens in 2009.
In an interview published on FIFA's website in 2025, Emmanuel said the surgeries and prosthetics gave him and his brother the ability to be self-sufficient for the first time: "We learned basic things like walking and feeding ourselves, which people sometimes take for granted. I eventually decided to pursue entertainment and music."
From X Factor to the global stage
In 2011, at age 17, Emmanuel Kelly auditioned for The X Factor in Australia. His performance of John Lennon's "Imagine" captivated audiences, and the video was watched millions of times online. Although he was eliminated early from the competition, it marked the beginning of his music career.
His brother Ahmed Kelly, meanwhile, found success in a different field. A competitive swimmer, Ahmed represented Australia multiple times and won a silver medal in the 150m individual medley at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Bond with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin
In 2016, ahead of Coldplay's Australian concerts, frontman Chris Martin watched a video of Kelly and decided to meet him. Kelly was invited on stage at the Melbourne concert and performed a duet of "Imagine" with Martin. The two became friends after that meeting. In 2024, Kelly served as the opening act for four of Coldplay's concerts in Australia.
In the FIFA interview, Kelly said of Chris Martin: "Chris has been like a brother to me for eight years and he said, 'Hey, come on tour with me and join me on the stadium tour.' I did it and it was truly epic."
Historic performance at the World Cup final
Last year, Chris Martin was tasked by FIFA with organizing the halftime show for the Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Kelly was among those invited by Martin and was described by organizers as "the first artist with different abilities to play a leading role in a FIFA halftime show."
The 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will take place at the same stadium, and Martin is again organizing the musical performance. Kelly will take the stage at the event, which FIFA hopes will be the most-watched halftime show in history.
Ahead of the show, Kelly shared a video on Instagram, saying: "How exciting is the opportunity to truly represent full-scale global unity. No matter how different you are, you will still be seen."
