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compiled by Emili TK
For the first time in history, the FIFA World Cup final will feature a Super Bowl-style halftime show, with Coldplay playing a key role in curating the lineup of performers.
The 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, will culminate in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19. While major sporting events like the Champions League final have incorporated pre-match performances, no World Cup final has ever hosted a halftime show—until now.
Unlike regular NFL games, which have a 15-minute halftime break, the Super Bowl extends this period to 30 minutes to accommodate its iconic musical performances. While the World Cup final’s halftime will remain 15 minutes long, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed that Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and band manager Phil Harvey will help assemble a lineup of artists to perform during the break.
“I can confirm the first-ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey,” Infantino announced on Instagram. “This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show worthy of the biggest sporting event in the world.”
This year’s Super Bowl halftime show, headlined by rapper Kendrick Lamar in New Orleans, shattered viewership records, drawing 133.5 million viewers across the U.S.—surpassing the record set by Michael Jackson in 1993. Previous performers have included global superstars like Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga, while Coldplay took center stage in 2016.
Super Bowl halftime performances typically last between 25 and 30 minutes, allowing time for elaborate stage setups. While the World Cup final’s halftime show will be shorter, it marks a significant shift in the tournament’s tradition, adding an entertainment spectacle to the world’s most-watched sporting event.
