FIFA to break IFAB half-time rules again as World Cup final show runs to 30 minutes

FIFA will again override the International FA Board’s 15-minute half-time rule at the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, with a star-studded concert expected to stretch the interval to between 25 and 30 minutes — more than double the limit football’s law-making body permits.

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

The IFAB, which governs the laws of the game, explicitly caps the half-time break at 15 minutes, citing concerns over player welfare and the “negative impact on player welfare and safety resulting from a longer period of inactivity.” The body had previously rejected a CONMEBOL proposal to extend the break to 25 minutes on those same grounds. FIFA, however, ignored the rule at last year’s Club World Cup final, where the Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain clash featured a 25-minute interval.

The extended break has also prompted a change of plan from UK broadcasters. BBC and ITV had initially intended to skip the concert entirely and fill the 15-minute window with analysis and highlights. With the interval now expected to run significantly longer, both broadcasters are understood to have reversed that decision, with sufficient time available to air the entertainment alongside their usual coverage.

For the managers in the final, the longer break represents an unusual tactical scenario. Coaches who typically have 15 minutes to deliver a half-time team talk could find themselves with up to 30 minutes — a significant shift in routine at the highest stage of the game.

England face Argentina in Thursday’s semi-final for a place in Sunday’s final, where Spain await after defeating France. Should Thomas Tuchel guide the Three Lions through, it would be England’s first World Cup final appearance since 1966 — and Tuchel would have an unusually long interval to prepare his side for the second half.

The extended breaks have already drawn criticism during the tournament. FIFA’s introduction of mid-half hydration breaks, typically around the 22nd and 67th minutes, has been met with boos inside stadiums, with supporters arguing the stoppages have fragmented matches into four quarters rather than two halves. A 30-minute half-time interval at the final is likely to deepen that frustration among purists.