FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the 2026 men’s World Cup final, hosted in the United States, will include a halftime show for the very first time. The US, Canada and Mexico are set to co-host next year’s tournament, with the final set to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026. Never in the history of the tournament – from the inaugural competition in 1930 to now – has there been a halftime show, but Infantino confirmed the break of tradition after speaking at a World Cup event in Dallas.
“I can confirm the first ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey, in association with Global Citizen,” Infantino said in an Instagram post Wednesday. “This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.” As well as advocacy group Global Citizen, Infantino said FIFA would be working with British group Coldplay to help produce the halftime show. Coldplay performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2016 and called upon artists such as Bruno Mars and Beyoncé as special guests. Infantino did not say Coldplay would be performing in 2026, but said its members would be helping put together a list of artists. The official rules of soccer, outlined by the International Football Association Board, state that halftime breaks should not exceed 15 minutes and it’s unclear whether it will be changed to accommodate the performance, such as with halftime shows at the Super Bowl. FIFA told CNN that it didn’t have any more details than already announced on the proposed halftime show at this time.
Source: edition.cnn.com