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Published : 19 Jul 2026, 11:28 AM
Football's half-time break has traditionally meant a queue for the toilet, a snack run or grumbling about the referee.
That is set to change at this year's World Cup final.
For the first time in the tournament's history, Sunday's Spain-Argentina final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (Monday 1am Bangladesh time) will feature a full-scale half-time show, with performances by Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Justin Bieber.
According to the BBC, the show has already stirred controversy in football circles, since it will stretch the interval to as long as 25 minutes, against the International Football Association Board's (IFAB) stated maximum stoppage of 15 minutes.
FIFA has described the event as a landmark celebration sitting at the crossroads of sport, music and global reach, the British broadcaster said.
The BBC raised the question of whether such a spectacle at the world's most-watched sporting event signals more of the same heading to stadiums everywhere, and whether fans actually want that.
A Growing Trend
Both the BBC and ITV are expected to screen the show in full, with pundits filling the gap while stage equipment is put up and taken down.
The BBC noted that last year's Club World Cup final, also organised by FIFA and held at the same stadium, had a 24-minute halftime break featuring live sets from Coldplay, J Balvin, Doja Cat and Tems.
Sports broadcaster Betty Glover, who has covered this year's World Cup across the US for the past month and worked at last year's Club World Cup final, told the outlet that there is a push to win over more American sports fans.
She said more people were coming round to the game while she spoke to them on the ground, even though football remains far from the country's main sport.
James Massing, whose team at Live Nation is staging the World Cup final show, told the BBC that fan expectations around major sporting events have grown, suggesting music could feature more often in future finals.
He said the sports industry needs to innovate as it competes with other live entertainment options, from museums to theatres and cinemas.
Massing, who has also worked on the Super Bowl and last year's Club World Cup final show, said a musical performance helps make a final feel like a final.
He pointed to The Killers' performance ahead of May's UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, saying the crowd's energy visibly peaked during the set, according to the BBC.
Not Everyone Convinced
British football content creator Ellis Platten, who has spent a month travelling between host nations for this World Cup, told the BBC he is "not a fan" of the halftime show or the tournament's hydration breaks, which run 22 minutes into each half and have carried adverts on some US networks.
Platten, 28, said the tournament is already the most-watched event in the world and questioned the need for such additions, noting fans grow restless by the end of a long halftime.
He said IFAB has previously rejected extending halftimes beyond 15 minutes over player welfare and injury risk, and argued organisers were focused on booking pop acts while overlooking that Lionel Messi, playing in a World Cup final, "is slightly more important”.
Glover agreed, telling the BBC she is "not sure football needs" a halftime show, and said this year's tournament felt distinctly American in its coverage, with heavy advertising and little analysis.
Massing maintained there is "no compromise when it comes to the integrity of the sport”, calling player welfare fundamental to how such shows are planned.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has curated the show, which also features Nigerian star Burna Boy.
FIFA says the artists are performing without payment and the event will raise money for an education fund.
Musical performances at major sporting events are common in the United States, with the Super Bowl staging a half-time show since 1967.
In Europe, the UEFA Champions League introduced pre-match performances a decade ago, while international NFL games across the continent added dedicated half-time shows in 2025.
Massing told the BBC the trend reflects sport becoming more global, with organisers turning major fixtures into broader entertainment events.
Platten fears FIFA's move could spread to domestic football, while Glover doubts the concept will feature at the next World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
She said entertainment could be positive if it attracts new fans without affecting the football itself.
