FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that the 2026 World Cup final will feature the first-ever official half-time show in the tournament’s history.
The final, scheduled for 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, will include a live musical performance during the 15-minute half-time break. Infantino described it as a landmark moment for football, saying it will be a major global entertainment event.
He also revealed that British band Coldplay, with frontman Chris Martin, are helping to curate the show. While the full lineup has not been announced, he confirmed that multiple artists will take part and hinted that it is being planned as a large-scale, Super Bowl-style production.
Infantino said the aim is to make it “the biggest show on earth,” noting that the event will bring together music and football on an unprecedented level for a World Cup final.
The idea is inspired by American sports entertainment, particularly the Super Bowl half-time show, which is known for high-profile musical performances.
Half-time entertainment in football is rare and sometimes controversial. In Germany, a similar experiment during the 2017 DFB Cup final featuring pop singer Helene Fischer was poorly received by parts of the crowd, with audible booing from some fans.
Despite that, FIFA is pushing ahead with plans to include major entertainment elements in future tournaments. Infantino also suggested that many global celebrities from sport and music—such as NFL legend Tom Brady and former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal—could be involved in World Cup-related events, as they were during previous tournament draws.
