Overview
- The final between Argentina and Spain reached halftime scoreless on Sunday, July 19, 2026 with play paused for the scheduled interval before the halftime production.
- FIFA and Global Citizen confirmed a multi‑artist halftime lineup that includes Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, Coldplay with the PS22 choir, Gustavo Dudamel, and characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.
- Organizers estimate the halftime sequence will begin roughly 48 to 50 minutes after kickoff and FIFA says the core production is about 17 minutes long though some reports put the total staging time shorter or longer because of assembly and tear‑down.
- Broadcasters carrying the match and halftime show live include Telefé, TyC Sports, DSports, TV Pública, Disney+ Premium, Paramount+, Telemundo, FOX and Peacock, and the match referee is Slavko Vinčić.
- The final combines high sporting stakes for Argentina as defending champion and Lionel Messi with an unprecedented cultural spectacle and sharp operational challenges such as weather, smoke from distant fires and elevated security measures around MetLife Stadium.