Canadian megastar Justin Bieber will join Madonna, Shakira, and K-pop sensation BTS for the Super Bowl-style halftime show at the FIFA World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, US. Curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the spectacle marks the first halftime show in the tournament's history and has sparked debate over whether it will require extending football's traditional halftime interval.
Bieber's Statement on the Performance
"The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can," Bieber said in a statement. "I'm grateful to be part of this halftime show, and even more grateful knowing it's already helping expand access to education for children around the world," he added.
Halftime Duration Concerns
Under the Laws of the Game, halftime must not exceed 15 minutes. While FIFA has confirmed the performance itself will last approximately 11 minutes, additional time will be needed to assemble and dismantle the stage, raising questions about whether the interval will be extended. The announcement, however, puts to rest earlier speculation that the halftime show alone could run for as long as 25 minutes.
Global Audience Expected
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has described the event as "definitely the biggest stage ever," saying he expects "a couple of billion" viewers to tune in worldwide.
Additional Performers and Collaborations
The show will also feature characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets in support of FIFA's Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aiming to raise $100 million to expand access to education for children around the world during the World Cup. The announcement also confirmed the addition of Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy and Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel to the lineup. Coldplay will perform in collaboration with the acclaimed PS22 Chorus, a choir made up of students from a New York public elementary school.
Comparison to Super Bowl and Previous Trials
"This is the single largest gathering of artists united for a cause since Live Aid, and it could well be the most-watched 11 minutes of broadcast music performance in history," said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen, the anti-poverty campaign group organising the event. At 11 minutes, the World Cup final halftime show will be slightly shorter than recent Super Bowl halftime performances, which have typically lasted between 13 and 14 minutes.
FIFA trialled a halftime show during last year's Club World Cup final, also held at MetLife Stadium. That performance extended the halftime interval to just over 24 minutes, drawing criticism from some observers over its potential impact on players' recovery and performance.
