FIFA, the governing body for football, has brought up the idea to add a Super Bowl-ish flavour to the World Cup in 2026. This would take form in a halftime show during the break in the final. This is the brainchild of current FIFA president, Gianni Infantino.
The U.S.A., Canada and Mexico are set to co-host next year's tournament; with the final set to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 19 July 2026.
Never in the history of the tournament – from the inaugural competition in 1930 to now – has there been a halftime show but Infantino confirmed the break of tradition after speaking at a World Cup event in Dallas.
"I can confirm the first ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey, in association with Global Citizen," Infantino said in an Instagram post Wednesday.
"This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world." As well as advocacy group Global Citizen, Infantino said FIFA would be working with British group, Coldplay, to help produce the halftime show.
"I also want to thank Chris Martin and Phil Harvey of Coldplay, who will be working with us at FIFA to finalise the list of artists who will perform during the halftime show, as well as at Times Square," Infantino wrote.
FIFA is working with Coldplay member Chris Martin to produce the halftime show for the grand finale in 2026. However, incorporating a performance within the FIFA World Cup’s 15-minute halftime presents a logistical challenge. The Super Bowl halftime extends to nearly 30 minutes. Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX performance ran for 13 minutes, not including set-up and breakdown, highlighting the need for meticulous execution to keep the World Cup final’s show within the allotted time.
Coldplay performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2016 and called upon artists such as Bruno Mars and Beyoncé as special guests. Infantino didn't say Coldplay would be performing in 2026 but said its members would be helping put together a list of artists.
The official rules of football, outlined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), state that halftime breaks should not exceed 15 minutes and it's unclear whether it will be changed to accommodate the performance, such as with halftime shows at the Super Bowl.
With 16 months until the event, FIFA has given a first teaser of what will be a World Cup full of surprises, with the halftime show in the final being one of the major attractions. It will, undoubtedly, be a historic experience for both fans and players.
In recent years, World Cup tournaments have had official songs and the Champions League final – the top club competition in Europe – has often included pre-match musical acts, such as Lenny Kravitz ahead of last year's final at Wembley Stadium in London.
Traditionally, World Cup finals have focused solely on the on-field action, with halftime serving as a brief tactical and recovery break for teams. However, FIFA’s decision to introduce a halftime entertainment spectacle shows the growing trend of merging sports and pop culture.
The opening match of the 2026 World Cup is set to kick off in Mexico City at the Estadio Azteca on 11 June 2026.
I don't really care for the halftime show. I wouldn't waste my time watching it. Knowing FIFA and its background, I sense that this is a cash grab opportunity for them. They are solely focused on how much money they will generate from it. I could obviously be wrong. However, as far as I know, FIFA hasn't done anything for the fans. They're pure capitalists.
I won't approve a possible expansion of time just for the show. Football players aren't like American Football players. What I mean by this is that the latter are used to this kind of break. For football players, they may get a bit restless as a result of the extra length of break. It might be a big distraction for them.
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