World Cup final to feature NFL-style halftime show over 29-minute break FIFA World Cup 2022, It will be the first time in the tournament’s history that the final will include a Super Bowl-style show during a 29-minute break – bringing a new entertainment element to the sport’s most highly-anticipated occasion FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the historic shift, with the final scheduled for July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, MySportDab Reports.
“This is going to be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup,” Infantino said, attracting attention to the scale of entertainment planned.
In order to curate the performance, FIFA has brought in the British rock titans Coldplay in conjunction with the advocacy group Global Citizen. This hints at a mix of star players intended to cater to a global audience.
The change brings FIFA closer in line with American sports entertainment, specifically the NFL’s Super Bowl, known for its halftime show.
But FIFA has logistical limits; football’s halftime is only 15 minutes — far shorter than the Super Bowl’s 30-minute intermission. It will take precision planning to pull off a memorable show without interrupting the game.
In addition to the halftime spectacle, FIFA is planning to transform New York’s Times Square into a fan zone over the final weekend, celebrating both the bronze final, as it is known, and the championship match.
The decision will help further stimulate soccer’s growth in North America, with the U.S. joining Canada and Mexico as co-hosts.
(Full list of performers not yet confirmed by FIFA; expectations are high. With 1.5 billion television viewers for the 2022 World Cup final — many, many more than the United States’ Super Bowl — FIFA had a chance to reshape global sports entertainment.
