FIFA Introduces Super Bowl-Style Half-Time Show for 2026 World Cup Final

• The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be the first match in tournament history to feature a Super Bowl-style halftime performance. A big side of mentorship has been given by Coldplay in the curating aspect.
• FIFA is looking to increase the entertainment value of the World Cup by bringing together football and global music superstars. 

This is the first time in the history of the FIFA World Cup final that anything resembling a Super Bowl-style halftime show will be introduced as the audience is treated to some extra entertainment in the most gigantic match of football on the planet. And guess who is to help line them up? None other than Coldplay. The FIFA president confirmed this news, calling this a historic moment for the sport and a sad moment for those who’ve never witnessed such a master show.

Football Meets Showbiz—The Super Bowl Effect

If you are a true Super Bowl enthusiast, the halftime show is as big as the game itself. Something that catches the eye of all quadri-million viewers and tips social media into a blaze with memories fleeting the sink and drifting forever.

The hope with the World Cup finale is to bring some of that sparkle. Chris Martin and Phil Harvey, manager of Coldplay, are selected to arrange artists who are to be the main attraction for halftime (only a 15-minute break).

Infantino took to Instagram to share the news:

“I can confirm the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York, New Jersey. This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”

A Galaxy of Stars?

During the Super Bowl, the trend is pretty much to perform a wish list for A-listers. A record 133.5 million people in America viewed Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance in New Orleans for this year’s Super Bowl, even surpassing Michael Jackson’s ongoing record.

Past performers have always been a hive of performances by some of the biggest celebrities in the world, the likes of Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Coldplay. So now the ball lies on the court of Coldplay, only running with the highest stakes in the World Cup. I guess the critical question on everybody’s minds is: though we still expect the crème-de-la-crème of music, would there be a blend of world music icons? Will cross-continental collaboration coincide with artists from different continents to signify the spirit of the tournament internationally?

Bold Move by FIFA—But Will It Work?

The 2026 World Cup has already started making history with an expanded playable field of 48 teams and will be hosted across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The biggest football party is expanding its frontiers with the coming of a halftime show. This change might not sit well with some footballing purists, arguing that the beautiful sport does not need any entertainment to dazzle around but should be attractive anyway. Others will suggest that it could bring football into more homes and ramp up the level of sponsorship deals, thereby making the final a global phenomenon.

One thing is certain: When the World Cup Final kicks off in 2026, the sights on display will not be on the football alone. The halftime show is going to be something else as well, and world audiences will be eager to see if it is going to be as big as everyone thinks it will be.