The World Cup’s First Half‑Time Show: Flashy, Funny, and Mostly Unnecessary

For the first time in history, the men’s World Cup final paused its 90‑minute drama for a half‑time concert that lasted longer than a typical break in an American football game. Imagine the tension of a World Cup final, then suddenly the stadium lights shift, a stage lights up, and a chorus of pop stars—Justin Bieber, Madonna, BTS, Shakira and even the Muppets—take over. It was a weird mash‑up, part concert, part commercial, and wholly out of sync with what most football fans expected.

It started with a pre‑recorded video of a beaming Cristiano Ronaldo tugging at the seams of his tracksuit, a nod to his ever‑present charisma. Madonna strutted onto the field, belt‑singing her ’80s hit “Music,” while Ronaldinho, looking like he’d just stepped out of a Nile Rodgers music video, tried to keep up. The whole thing felt surreal—like watching a high‑budget music video that had accidentally been inserted into a soccer match.

Then came the acoustic moment everyone seemed to forget: Justin Bieber, guitar in hand, performed a stripped‑down version of “Everything Hallelujah.” The song was sweet, earnest, and technically solid, but sandwiched between BTS’s high‑energy pop and Shakira’s tribal‑beat duet with Burna Boy, it turned into a quiet lull in an otherwise noisy evening.

Speaking of Shakira, she and Burna Boy delivered “Dai Dai,” the anthem that’s been looping around the tournament’s 104 matches. Their performance felt like the only genuinely football‑related segment—an ode to the sport that resonated with fans in the stands and at home.

Other highlights included a brief Norwegian rowing stunt, a tongue‑in‑cheek “Ted Lasso” skit, and a breathtaking rendition of “Seven Nation Army” conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, backed by an orchestra and, yes, the Muppets. That moment, with its soaring strings and nostalgic rock riff, actually captured the stadium’s collective pulse.

But the rest of the show felt more like a random playlist than a cohesive set. BTS delivered a pop number that, while catchy, seemed out of place on a soccer field. Coldplay, accompanied by a choir of kids from the PS22 Chorus, closed the night with an over‑sentimental anthem about love. Even Wayne Rooney, former England striker, summed up the general sentiment when he told the BBC, “I like a lot of those artists, but I thought it was crap.”

Beyond the artistic mishmash, the practical side of things raised eyebrows. Half‑time, traditionally a 15‑minute breather for players, stretched to a whopping 27 minutes. For a 22‑year‑old talent like Lamine Yamal, that meant an unusually long pause while he tried not to get cold. Fans who tuned in just to watch the beautiful game were forced to endure a concert that, for many, felt more like a Super Bowl ad break than a soccer tradition.

The financial motives are clear. Bank of America, Topps, DoorDash, Marriott Bonvoy, Visa, YouTube Music and a host of other sponsors poured millions into the spectacle. Apple reportedly spent $50 million on a comparable Super Bowl slot, so it isn’t surprising that FIFA sees this as a new revenue stream. A woman in Seattle, overheard by The Athletic, confessed, “Do they have a half‑time show today? I’d watch a lot more soccer if they did.” That sentiment reflects a growing belief that big‑budget halftime shows could attract new viewers—especially in the United States.

Yet the question remains: should football sacrifice a core principle—short, purposeful half‑time—to chase TV ratings and sponsorship dollars? The World Cup has always prided itself on being globally accessible and politically neutral. Introducing a lengthy, star‑studded intermission threatens to tilt the balance toward commercialism, possibly at the expense of player welfare and fan experience.

In short, the show was polished and flamboyant, but it lacked the organic feel of a genuine musical celebration. It felt like a copy‑pasted Super Bowl segment, complete with celebrity cameos and corporate logos, rather than a heartfelt homage to the sport itself. Whether FIFA will make this a permanent fixture remains to be seen, but for now, most fans would probably prefer to get back to the beautiful game sooner rather than later.