The 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup final will feature a Super Bowl-style halftime show, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Wednesday.
"I can confirm the first ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey," Infantino revealed during a convention for the 2026 World Cup's commercial and media partners in Dallas. "This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.
"We also spoke about how FIFA will takeover Times Square for the final weekend of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, during both the bronze final match and final."
New Jersey's MetLife Stadium will host the final on July 19, 2026 and a "list of artists" will perform on the field during the break. Coldplay manager Phil Harvey and lead singer Chris Martin will produce the halftime show. Coldplay will not perform, but the duo will put together the list of artists who will take part.
Normal halftime breaks in soccer are 15 minutes, as per the Laws of the Game. Barring a relaxing of the rules before the 2026 World Cup, the performance will need to be shorter in order for the setup and breakdown process to be completed in time.
If FIFA is taking a page out of the NFL's book by introducing a halftime show, it would not be a surprise to see the break extended, much like what happens during the Super Bowl where 30 minutes is carved out for a performance, 17 minutes more than the standard halftime break.
