It has already been announced that the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, outside Manhattan, New York, on Sunday night will feature a star-studded halftime show with performances by Justin Bieber, Shakira and Madonna. The event is inspired by the Super Bowl, the NFL final in American football, which is held annually in the United States.
On Wednesday, several media outlets, including The Times and The Telegraph , reported that the halftime show could last up to half an hour.
This would mean that FIFA is violating its own rules on how long a half-time break can last. Usually, a half-time break lasts 15 minutes. FIFA has not commented on the information.
On Tuesday, it also became clear that FIFA's closing ceremony at the same stadium will also be star-studded, with appearances by, among others, actor Tom Cruise, artist Robbie Williams and YouTube personality IShowSpeed.
“In the same spirit as the opening ceremonies, the closing ceremony will tie the 2026 World Cup together through music, culture and football,” says Heimo Schirgi, World Cup Chief Operating Officer.
Actress and singer Jennifer Hudson will also perform her own version of the American national anthem before the final.
"More artists and special guests will be revealed in the coming days," FIFA writes.
