K-pop stans, clear your Friday schedules — because there’s nothing to watch. 1KBS 2TV’s “Music Bank” will be going on a two-week hiatus. 1The KBS music show has officially announced, “‘Music Bank’ will not be airing on Friday, June 19 or 26, 2026.”
The reason? The 2026 FIFA World Cup. And this isn’t just any schedule shuffle — 1this year is the first time since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup that “Music Bank” has been canceled due to the FIFA World Cup.
That’s a 24-year gap between World Cup-related cancellations. Let that sink in.
Table of Contents
What’s Happening & When?tab
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Show | Music Bank (뮤직뱅크) |
| Network | KBS 2TV |
| Normal Airtime | Fridays at 5:00 PM KST |
| Canceled Dates | June 19, 2026 (Friday) |
| June 26, 2026 (Friday) | |
| Reason | 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage on KBS |
| Expected Return | July 3, 2026 (tentative) |
| Current MCs | Kim Jae Won & izna’s Bang Jeemin |
Why Is the World Cup Affecting Music Bank?
16 In South Korea, the broadcasting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are held by JTBC and the national public broadcaster KBS. Following the breakdown of “Korea Pool” negotiations with other major networks, these two broadcasters secured the rights to ensure that the tournament remains accessible to the Korean public.
Since KBS is one of the two official World Cup broadcasters in South Korea, it needs to prioritize live match coverage — and that directly conflicts with Music Bank’s Friday evening timeslot.16 South Korea’s Group A fixtures include matches against Czechia (June 12), Mexico (June 19), and South Africa (June 25). The South Korea vs. Mexico match on **June 19** falls directly on a Music Bank Friday, making the cancellation unavoidable.
How Rare Is This?
Extremely rare. 1While there were instances of the show’s broadcast time being changed due to coverage of the World Cup, a two-week hiatus is rare.
| Year | World Cup | Music Bank Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Korea-Japan World Cup | Full cancellation (last time before 2026) |
| 2006 | Germany | Time changes only |
| 2010 | South Africa | Time changes only |
| 2014 | Brazil | Time changes only |
| 2018 | Russia | Time changes only |
| 2022 | Qatar (Nov–Dec) | No conflict — winter scheduling |
| 2026 | USA/Canada/Mexico | Two-week full hiatus |
The 2022 Qatar World Cup was held in November–December, completely avoiding the K-pop music show calendar. But the 2026 tournament returns to the traditional June–July window — and with KBS holding broadcast rights this time, something had to give.
What About K-Chart Rankings?
Here’s interesting news for chart watchers: 3as of 2026, Music Bank is the only music broadcast among terrestrial broadcasters that counts rankings even if the show is canceled.
This means the K-Chart will still be calculated during the hiatus — artists competing for No. 1 trophies won’t lose tracking weeks. However, there will be no live performances, no winner announcements, and no encore stages for two consecutive Fridays.
| Impact Area | Status During Hiatus |
|---|---|
| K-Chart Calculation | ✅ Continues normally |
| Live Performances | ❌ No stages |
| Winner Announcement | ❌ No trophy |
| Encore Stages | ❌ Suspended |
| Comeback Stages | ❌ Delayed to July |
How This Affects June Comebacks
The timing couldn’t be worse for several major comebacks. Groups promoting new albums during mid-to-late June will lose two Music Bank performance slots — that’s two fewer chances to earn trophies, gain broadcast points, and reach fans through live stages.
Artists most affected include anyone with a comeback between June 15–30, as they’ll have to rely on other music shows like M Countdown (Mnet), Inkigayo (SBS), Music Core (MBC), Show Champion (MBC M), and The Show (SBS LIFE) for their promotional stages.
| Music Show | Network | Status During World Cup |
|---|---|---|
| Music Bank | KBS | ❌ Off air June 19 & 26 |
| M Countdown | Mnet | ✅ Expected to air |
| Inkigayo | SBS | ✅ Expected to air |
| Music Core | MBC | ✅ Expected to air |
| Show Champion | MBC M | ✅ Expected to air |
| The Show | SBS LIFE | ✅ Expected to air |
Music Bank’s Legacy — 28 Years of K-Pop History
4 Music Bank is a South Korean music program which airs every Friday at 17:15 KST on KBS2. 4 Before Music Bank, Top 10 Songs debuted in 1981 airing live at 6:30 KST on Fridays and airing until 1998. For the first few months of 1998, Bravo New Generation took its place, but due to low ratings, it was quickly replaced by Music Bank on June 18, 1998.
Since 1998, Music Bank has become one of the most prestigious stages in K-pop. 4Past hosts include Song Hye-kyo, Rain, Ji Sung, Song Joong-ki, Park Seo-joon, Yoon Bora, Irene, Park Bo-gum, Choi Bo-min, Shin Ye-eun, Choi Soo-bin, Arin, Park Sung-hoon, Jang Won-young, Lee Chae-min and Hong Eun-chae among others.
The show’s current MC duo — actor Kim Jae Won and izna’s Bang Jeemin — 6joined as new MCs on February 27, 2026.
For a complete history of Music Bank’s 28 years of K-pop excellence, visit the official Music Bank Wikipedia page.
What Should Fans Do During the Hiatus?
- Watch South Korea’s World Cup matches! — Cheer for the Taegeuk Warriors as they face Mexico (June 19) and South Africa (June 25)
- Catch up on other music shows — M Countdown, Inkigayo, and Music Core will still air normally
- Stream your faves — Digital streaming points still count toward the K-Chart during the hiatus
- Mark July 3 — Music Bank is expected to return with a packed lineup after the break
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FAQs
Q: Why is Music Bank not airing on June 19 and 26, 2026?
Music Bank is going on a two-week hiatus due to KBS’s coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. KBS holds official broadcast rights in South Korea, and South Korea’s Group A matches against Mexico (June 19) and South Africa (June 25) directly conflict with Music Bank’s Friday timeslot.
Q: Will the Music Bank K-Chart still be calculated during the hiatus?
Yes. Music Bank is the only terrestrial music show that continues calculating chart rankings even when the broadcast is canceled. Artists will not lose tracking weeks, but there will be no live performances or winner announcements during the two-week break.
