Gianni Infantino has enlisted the help of Coldplay to help put together the first-ever World Cup final halftime show.
FIFA, world football’s governing body, announced in September that the showpiece event in 2026 — the final game of the tournament held in the United States, Canada and Mexico — will include a halftime show for the first time.
The NFL’s Super Bowl has became famous for having some of the world’s biggest music artists perform with Kendrick Lamar headlining the most recent in February in New Orleans.
The final in 2026 will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with Infantino revealing that Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin and the band’s manager Phil Harvey will help to finalise the “list of artists” who will perform.
“I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey, in association with Global Citizen,” the FIFA president wrote on Instagram. “This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.
“We also spoke about how FIFA will takeover Times Square for the final weekend of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, during both the bronze final match and final.
“These will be two incredible matches, featuring some of the best players in the world, and what better way to celebrate them than in the historic Times Square in New York City.
“My thanks of course to Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans and his incredible team, for helping us put together these amazing shows. I also want to thank Chris Martin and Phil Harvey of Coldplay, who will be working with us at FIFA to finalise the list of artists who will perform during the half time show, as well as at Times Square.”
No more details have yet been released about what the halftime show will entail including how long it will be.
Super Bowl halftime shows regularly see an intermission of more than 30 minutes while the performance area is built and then taken down on the playing field.
Shakira’s show at halftime of the 2024 Copa America final saw the mid-game break extended to 25 minutes.
GO DEEPER
Imagining the true horror of FIFA’s World Cup final half-time show
(Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
