The half-time interval during Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final is expected to last up to 30 minutes as FIFA moves forward with plans for a Super Bowl-inspired entertainment show, despite the move conflicting with football’s own regulations, according to The Telegraph.
The report says broadcasters BBC and ITV are preparing for a longer-than-usual break, with the schedule expected to include an 11-minute live performance in addition to the customary 15 minutes of studio analysis.
Under the Laws of the Game, the half-time interval is limited to 15 minutes. However, FIFA reportedly exceeded that limit during last year’s Club World Cup, where the break lasted approximately 25 minutes.
Sunday’s final is expected to feature an even longer interval as FIFA looks to enhance the event with a high-profile entertainment spectacle similar to the NFL’s Super Bowl. If the plans go ahead, it would mark the longest half-time break in the history of a World Cup final.
The Telegraph also reported that the three-minute cooling breaks planned in each half have raised concerns among some observers, who believe they could provide additional opportunities for commercial advertising.
The entertainment lineup at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is set to include performances from Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus alongside Coldplay.
Ahead of kick-off, a star-studded opening ceremony is also expected, featuring Robbie Williams, Tom Cruise and Nicole Scherzinger approximately 90 minutes before the match begins at 8 p.m.
Football’s lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), rejected a proposal from South American governing body CONMEBOL in 2021 to increase the maximum half-time interval to 25 minutes. IFAB cited concerns that a longer break could negatively affect player welfare and safety due to prolonged inactivity.
Despite that decision, CONMEBOL staged a 25-minute performance by Shakira during the 2024 Copa America final in Miami. Colombia head coach Néstor Lorenzo later criticised the extended interval, having earlier been penalised during the tournament after his team returned late from half-time.
At the time of publication, FIFA had not responded to The Telegraph’s request for comment.
