World Cup Final Halftime Show: A Spectacle of Music and Controversy
Explore the buzz around the 2026 World Cup final halftime show. A new spectacle breaking tradition, drawing comparisons to the Super Bowl. Music, controversy, a
World Cup final halftime show: Rating every performer as Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and Shakira star
The World Cup final halftime show, a new addition to the 2026 World Cup, has generated discussion. This innovation means the final breaks the International Football Association’s 15-minute half-time mandate, drawing comparisons to the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime entertainment.
The 11-minute segment featured numerous artists, with each performer having limited time on stage. Reports suggested the show might exceed its allotted time, but it concluded only slightly over the 11-minute mark.
Pre-Match Entertainment and Halftime Performances
Before the main halftime event, the final included additional musical entertainment, notably a pre-match closing ceremony. This ceremony was not broadcast live by some channels. It featured Post Malone debuting a song from his upcoming album, Eternal Buzz, Chrome Heartbreaker, and performing Sunflowers with Swae Lee. Additionally, online influencer IShowSpeed performed his track Champions, which was included on the official Fifa World Cup album.
Jennifer Hudson sang the Star-Spangled Banner. Robbie Williams performed the Fifa anthem, Desire, alongside Laura Pausini and Nicole Scherzinger. This ballad had previously debuted at a draw ceremony in December.
The halftime show itself began with a pre-taped segment featuring Madonna. She was seen in a jeep with Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, travelling through tunnels. Her performance of Music, reworked with elements from The Trammps’ Disco Inferno, concluded before she appeared on the field to strike a pose.
Following this, the show transitioned to a rendition of The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army, performed by three members of The Muppets’ house band, The Electric Mayhem. Gustavo Dudamel led string sections from New York and Venezuela in support of The Muppet Band.
BTS then performed Dynamite, incorporating altered football lyrics, for approximately one minute and 40 seconds. An unbilled appearance by Jason Sudeikis, reprising his role as Ted Lasso, introduced Justin Bieber. Bieber performed an acoustic ballad, Everything Hallelujah, from his album Swag II.
Shakira, joined by Burna Boy, performed a truncated version of Dai Dai, a World Cup song that had an impact on the British charts. This track is described as a Fifa anthem with the sentiment, “Here in this place you belong.”
The show featured The Muppets, accompanied by Gustavo Dudamel leading string sections from New York and Venezuela.
Reactions to the Performance
The introduction of a halftime show for the World Cup final has been met with some controversy, with detractors comparing it to the NFL’s Super Bowl and suggesting it represents an imposition rather than an embrace of the World Cup. The pre-match musical offerings, such as IShowSpeed’s Champions, did not appear to resonate with the live audience at MetLife Stadium, as evidenced by a quiet reception.
Despite some mixed reactions, the actual halftime show was seen by some as a comparative success, managing to fit many performances into its brief duration by shortening songs and quickly transitioning between artists. However, Wayne Rooney offered a critical view of the show when asked for his opinion by a presenter.
The Fifa anthem Desire, performed by Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, and Nicole Scherzinger, did not achieve chart success globally after its initial debut.
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Source: theguardian.com
Rohan Gupta
Sports Reporter
