In a move that feels somewhat predictable, the World Cup final in 2026 will have a half-time show for the first time ever. It's a move pushing the giant sporting event closer towards what we've grown to expect from American sports — particularly the NFL Super Bowl.
It's no longer quite so unusual to see a musical performance accompanying a football match, with the Champions League final teed up by a musical artist -- last year it was Lenny Kravitz, whilst Anitta and Burna Boy performed the year before.
The Super Bowl is well known for having a half-time show that is often the internet's focus the next day. It was especially exciting this year, thanks to Kendrick Lamar's performance that helped draw in 133.5m viewers.
Infantino X Coldplay?
Gianni Infantino, the current FIFA president and generally controversial character, announced the show on his Instagram, saying, "I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey."
He also said that Chris Martin, of Coldplay fame, will help decide who will perform during the World Cup final. Coldplay have performed at the Super Bowl before -- who knows, maybe the British band will think they're the best option for footie fans around the world, too.
The Super Bowl half-time show lasts 30 minutes, whereas half-time in a football match only lasts 15 minutes. It will be interesting to see if this will be extended for the final — it’s not a huge amount of time to prepare the pitch for staging, unless the event happens beyond the bounds of the game’s stadium — but so far, it doesn't appear that it will be changed. When quickly perusing social media for opinions, the home of the level-headed where no one is hyperbolic, the move looks controversial. The 'game's gone' is a phrase that consistently appears.
It will be interesting to see who FIFA ultimately picks to perform during the final, especially when considering the Qatar World Cup final was one of the most watched TV events in history, with 1.5 Billion viewers worldwide. That’s a stratospheric audience for the right artist.
The 2026 World Cup returns to a summer schedule after the previous 2022 tournament was held in the winter due to the Qatari heat. It will be co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, and the final will be played in New Jersey.
If you can't wait for the 2026 World Cup here are our favourite kits appearing at this years Euro 2025.
Main image credit: Photo by Harold Cunningham - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
