The 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina was scoreless at halftime, but the interval itself made history. FIFA staged its first-ever halftime show at a men's World Cup final, packing the break with global music stars and stretching it to 27 minutes and 20 seconds, nearly double the regulation 15 minutes.

The halftime show unfolds

As the first half ended, a five-minute countdown appeared on stadium screens. Crews rolled a rainbow-coloured tarp over the pitch at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and a music orchestra took the field. Fireworks, dancers and a band accompanied the performances, which lasted about 11 minutes. The show ended with balloons and the word "Love" displayed in large letters, before the second half finally kicked off.

A star-studded lineup

Madonna opened the show, appearing first in a video being driven through the stadium catacombs by Brazilian legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, singing her hit "Music". South Korean band BTS then performed "Dynamite". Justin Bieber was symbolically substituted onto the stage by actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, reprising their roles from the series Ted Lasso, and delivered a stripped-down guitar version of "Everything Hallelujah", altering a lyric to "It's the World Cup - Hallelujah". Shakira and Burna Boy followed with the official tournament song "Dai Dai", surrounded by dancers. Coldplay, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, a New York elementary school choir and the Muppets closed the musical segment with "Seven Nation Army".

FIFA breaks its own rules

IFAB Rule 7 states that players are entitled to a halftime interval not exceeding 15 minutes, and any extension is at the referee's discretion. Referee Slavko Vincic was not consulted about the show, according to reports. Organizing chief Hugh Evans had promised the performance would last only 11 minutes and that the entire break, including setup and removal, would fit within 15 minutes. Instead, the pause reached 27 minutes and 20 seconds, the longest in World Cup history. The previous record for a FIFA final show was a 24-minute interval at the 2025 Club World Cup, also curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

IFAB rule maximum15

FIFA promise15

2026 final actual27.33

2025 Club World Cup24

IFAB rule maximum

15 minutes

FIFA promise

15 minutes

2026 final actual

27.33 minutes

2025 Club World Cup

24 minutes

Data from the article text

Critics warn of injury risks

Former Germany international and ZDF expert Christoph Kramer said football would have to adapt. "I think football will have to get used to it with a heavy heart. Whether you think that's good or bad. Personally, I don't like it," he said. He also criticized ticket prices: "What doesn't belong are the ticket prices. This is such a great event that de facto only the top one percent of the world's population can afford. That's what's not okay." His colleague Per Mertesacker focused on the sporting impact: "I do think that the risk of injury increases with such a long break. They get out of rhythm." ZDF commentator Oliver Schmidt pleaded, "Please do the show, for heaven's sake, but maybe do it beforehand, make it smaller, make it shorter, somehow."

A Super Bowl model for football

The halftime spectacle was designed to emulate the NFL's Super Bowl tradition, where stars like Rihanna, Prince and Beyoncé have performed. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump watched from the stands, alongside celebrities including Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Timothee Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Pharrell Williams and Mick Jagger. Before kick-off, former champions Mario Kempes and Andrés Iniesta carried the trophy onto the pitch, and tennis player Carlos Alcaraz and basketball star Victor Wembanyama were also present. The show's scale, and the rule-bending it required, signal FIFA's intent to merge football's biggest match with American-style entertainment, even as players and purists push back.