The World Cup final is set to take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The performers for the World Cup half-time show were handpicked by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who revealed the line-up via a social media video featuring characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets. He told Elmo: “It’s a chance to show how amazing all different kinds of humans are.”
Madonna is a seven-time Grammy Award winner whose music career stretches back decades, while Colombian sensation Shakira has claimed four of her own. BTS made history as the first K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination. Madonna headlined the Super Bowl half-time show in 2012, while Shakira shared the Super Bowl stage with Jennifer Lopez in 2020.
That format, which is firmly established in the NFL, will now make its way into football as North America seeks to merge sport with high-profile entertainment. FIFA and Global Citizen staged a trial half-time show at MetLife Stadium last summer during the FIFA Club World Cup final, where Chelsea beat PSG.
The entertainment on that occasion featured American rapper Doja Cat, Nigerian singer Tems and Colombian artist J Balvin. The performers took to a stage constructed within the stands, however there is speculation that the pitch itself could be utilised this summer, necessitating a departure from football’s traditional schedule.
The half-time interval during the final could therefore run considerably longer than the customary 15 minutes. It would mark the first occasion that the tournament has disregarded the sport’s standard quarter-hour break in favour of staging entertainment.
During last year’s Club World Cup final, the half-time break stretched to just over 24 minutes, rather than the 15 minutes stipulated in the Laws of the Game, as a direct consequence of the half-time entertainment. Now that the plans have been confirmed, several of those involved in the final will need to adjust their usual approach.
Managers will be required to rethink how they conduct their team talks given the extended break. Those working in sports science will also need to evaluate how the lengthened pause could affect player performance.
Broadcasters, meanwhile will also face a longer half-time window, which will inevitably alter their programming and scheduling arrangements.