FIFA set to extend World Cup final half-time to 30 minutes for Shakira and Bieber show

FIFA is expected to extend the World Cup final half-time interval to approximately 30 minutes at MetLife Stadium in New York, overriding the 15-minute limit set by the International FA Board (IFAB) to make room for a star-studded halftime show.

Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS are confirmed as co-headliners for the performance, which will be curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. A FIFA spokesman confirmed the lineup, describing it as a “historic FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show” that will be broadcast to millions of fans worldwide.

The decision puts FIFA in direct conflict with IFAB, the law-making body of football, which had already rejected a request from South American confederation CONMEBOL to extend the half-time break to 25 minutes. IFAB cited the “negative impact on player welfare and safety resulting from a longer period of inactivity” as its reason for refusing. FIFA has repeatedly declined to clarify publicly how long the break will be.

This is not the first time FIFA has stretched the interval beyond the standard limit. At the Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, the half-time break ran to 25 minutes.

The news has drawn criticism from supporters. England fan Fil Sollof, 61, told Mirror Football: “Thirty minutes for half time is a joke. How can FIFA change the rules of the game just like that? It’s 15 minutes for half-time — it’s the same for all football games all over the world. I doubt people would mind if it happened to go a minute or two over. But this isn’t on. It’s a disgrace.”

The final itself carries considerable historical weight. England, under Thomas Tuchel, are preparing to face defending champions Argentina in Atlanta — their first World Cup meeting since 2002 and the first time Lionel Messi has faced England in any competition. It would also be England’s first World Cup final appearance since 1966.