FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the 2026 men’s World Cup final, hosted in the United States, will include a half-time show for the very first time.
The US, Canada and Mexico are set to co-host next year’s tournament, with the final set to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.
Never in the history of the tournament – from the inaugural competition in 1930 to now – has there been a halftime show, but Infantino confirmed the break of tradition after speaking at a World Cup event in Dallas.
“I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey, in association with Global Citizen,” Infantino said in an Instagram post Wednesday.
“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”
As well as advocacy group Global Citizen, Infantino said FIFA would be working with British group Coldplay to help produce the half-time show.
Coldplay performed at the Super Bowl half-time show in 2016 and called upon artistes such as Bruno Mars and Beyoncé as special guests. Infantino did not say Coldplay would be performing in 2026, but said its members would be helping put together a list of artists.
The official rules of football, outlined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) state that half-time breaks should not exceed 15 minutes and it’s unclear whether it will be changed to accommodate the performance, such as with half-time shows at the Super Bowl.
While there hasn’t been a half-time show during a World Cup final before, the world of elite football has called upon musical acts for major competitions in the past.
In recent years, World Cup tournaments have had official songs and the Champions League final – the top club competition in Europe – has often included pre-match musical acts, such as Lenny Kravitz ahead of last year’s final at Wembley Stadium in London.
In 2022, though, singer Camila Cabello was drowned out by both Liverpool and Real Madrid fans ahead of the UEFA Champions League final.
The opening match of the 2026 World Cup is set to kick off in Mexico City at the Estadio Azteca on June 11, 2026.
The schedule will consist of 104 matches as the tournament has been expanded to 48 national teams from 32.
In addition to confirming the half-time show, Infantino also said there would be a “takeover” of New York’s Times Square for both the third-place playoff and the final.
CNN
