Overview
- Organisers confirmed that the World Cup final on July 19 will include a dedicated halftime show with Madonna, Shakira and BTS and that one more performer will be announced soon.
- Hugh Evans of Global Citizen said the performance will run 11 minutes and that stage set-up and clearance will keep the total halftime to 15 minutes, with veteran producer Hamish Hamilton engaged to protect the pitch and timing.
- The show is explicitly tied to a charitable campaign for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund with a stated $100 million fundraising goal.
- The decision responds to criticism after previous football halftime acts ran about 25 minutes at high-profile events and to IFAB concerns that longer breaks can harm player fitness and raise injury risk.
- The event marks a further move toward Super Bowl-style spectacle at the World Cup and could affect broadcast timing and fan experience worldwide, for example placing halftime around 21:45 CET for German viewers.