Fans attending and watching Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final should expect an extended half-time break, with FIFA preparing a Super Bowl-style entertainment show featuring some of the world’s biggest music stars.
The interval at New York New Jersey Stadium is expected to last between 20 and 25 minutes, significantly longer than the traditional 15-minute break.
The headline performance will feature global music icons Madonna, Shakira and South Korean supergroup BTS, with the show itself scheduled to run for approximately 11 minutes.
While sources within FIFA indicate the total half-time interval will likely be around 20 minutes, another option being considered is retaining the standard 15-minute break before staging the concert immediately afterwards.
Under the Laws of the Game, governed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), players are entitled to a half-time interval “not exceeding 15 minutes.”
However, FIFA has previously extended the break for major entertainment events. During last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final, also staged in New Jersey, half-time lasted 24 minutes following performances by Coldplay, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems and Emmanuel Kelly.
The entertainment line-up for Sunday’s final has also been strengthened with the addition of Justin Bieber, who joins Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus and Coldplay, with the band’s frontman Chris Martin serving as curator of the show.
The World Cup final will kick off at 3:00 p.m. local time (20:00 BST)., 7PM GMT after a lavish closing ceremony scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. local time (18:30 BST).
Spain have already secured their place in the final after defeating France 2-0 in the first semi-final in Dallas.
They will meet the winner of Wednesday’s second semi-final between England and Argentina, with football’s biggest prize set to be decided on Sunday in New Jersey.
