The American Dream!
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that the 2026 World Cup final will have a halftime show, similar to that seen at the Super Bowl.
The next edition of the World Cup will be hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Football’s biggest game is set to be played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19th, 2026…with a twist!
Infantino has said that “a list of artists” will perform during the 15-minute interval between halves.
In a post on Instagram, he said: “I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey.
“This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”
According to the Swiss native, Coldplay are set to help FIFA with producing the show, as well as creating a “Times Square” takeover during the final weekend.
Infantino added: “We also spoke about how FIFA will take over Times Square for the final weekend of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, during both the bronze final match and final.
“These will be two incredible matches, featuring some of the best players in the world, and what better way to celebrate them than in the historic Times Square in New York City.
“I also want to thank Chris Martin and Phil Harvey of Coldplay, who will be working with us at FIFA to finalise the list of artists who will perform during the halftime show, as well as at Times Square.”
It is yet to be confirmed whether or not FIFA will extend the length of time between the first and second half of the game to accommodate this performance.
Halftime shows are not exactly commonplace in football, however, they are a major part of the NFL’s Super Bowl.
In February, US rapper Kendrick Lamar performed at halftime during the showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
It was reported that Kendrick’s performance became the most-watched halftime show in history with 133.5 million viewers tuning in, surpassing Michael Jackson’s record of 133.4 million in 1993.
