World Cup set for longest half-time in tournament's history

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is expected to feature the longest half-time interval in the competition’s history, with the break at New York New Jersey Stadium potentially running beyond 25 minutes. The extended pause is linked to an 11-minute entertainment segment modelled on the Super Bowl format, with Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS listed as co-headliners.

According to the report, Fifa has indicated the interval may be around 20 minutes, but the actual duration could be longer because of the practical work needed to build and remove the performance setup before play resumes. BBC Sport says players may need some form of re-warm-up if the stoppage reaches the higher end of expectations. The issue is notable because the laws of the game, overseen by the International Football Association Board, say the half-time break should not exceed 15 minutes.

The article adds recent context from Fifa’s Club World Cup final at the same New Jersey venue last year, where half-time lasted 24 minutes during a show featuring Coldplay, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems and Emmanuel Kelly. A closing ceremony is also planned before the World Cup final, with Jennifer Hudson due to sing the United States national anthem and other performers including Tom Cruise, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and IShowSpeed. Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 local time, or 20:00 BST.