The half-time interval in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday is expected to last around 20 to 25 minutes.
A Super Bowl-style performance lasting 11 minutes, featuring co-headliners Madonna, Shakira, and K-pop group BTS, is scheduled for the halftime at the New York-New Jersey Stadium.
Although insiders from World Cup organizers FIFA indicate the interruption may last approximately 20 minutes, it is believed that one possibility involves the standard 15-minute half-time followed by the intended 11-minute presentation.
The rules of the game, regulated by Ifab (the International Football Association Board), specify that players are permitted a half-time interval “not longer than 15 minutes.”
The halftime of the previous year’s Club World Cup final, which was also organized by FIFA and took place in New Jersey, lasted 24 minutes because of a show that included Coldplay, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems, and Emmanuel Kelly.
Last week, Justin Bieber was added to the lineup for Sunday’s performance, which features headliners Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus with Coldplay, curated by singer Chris Martin.
The final match of the World Cup is set to start at 15:00 local time (20:00 BST), with a closing ceremony beginning at 13:30 local time (18:30 BST).
Tom Cruise, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, and IShowSpeed will be part of the ceremony, with Jennifer Hudson singing the national anthem of the United States.
Spain secured their spot in the final by defeating France 2-0 in the initial semi-final in Dallas on Tuesday.
They will encounter either England or Argentina, who clash in Atlanta on Wednesday (20:00 BST).
