The half-time interval at Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final could be extended to 30 minutes as FIFA prepares to stage a Super Bowl-style entertainment show, according to a report by The Telegraph.
The report said broadcasters BBC and ITV are already planning for the longer break, which is expected to include an 11-minute live performance alongside the traditional 15-minute half-time analysis.
The move would exceed the 15-minute maximum interval permitted under the Laws of the Game, although FIFA reportedly breached the rule during last year’s Club World Cup, where half-time lasted about 25 minutes.
According to The Telegraph, football’s governing body is keen to create a spectacle similar to the NFL’s Super Bowl half-time show, with Sunday’s final expected to feature the longest interval in World Cup history.
The report also noted that the three-minute cooling breaks introduced in each half have raised concerns among some observers, who believe they could be used to accommodate additional advertising.
ADVERTISEMENT
Read Also: FIFA Rejects France Appeal Over Michael Olise’s Yellow Card
Read Also
The star-studded half-time show at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is expected to feature performances from Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus alongside Coldplay.
Ahead of kick-off, a closing ceremony is also scheduled to take place 90 minutes before the match, with Robbie Williams, Tom Cruise and Nicole Scherzinger expected to participate.
The Telegraph recalled that the International Football Association Board (IFAB), football’s law-making body, rejected a proposal by South American football governing body CONMEBOL in 2021 to increase the maximum half-time interval to 25 minutes, citing concerns over player welfare and safety caused by prolonged inactivity.
Despite that decision, CONMEBOL staged a 25-minute performance by Shakira during the 2024 Copa America final in Miami, a move that drew criticism from Colombia head coach Néstor Lorenzo after his team had previously been sanctioned for returning late from the half-time break.
ADVERTISEMENT
FIFA had not responded to The Telegraph’s request for comment at the time the report was published.
