2026 World Cup, Halftime Show, and an Extra-Long Intermission in the Final: A Response to the Fierce Criticism

The 2026 World Cup is drawing to a close, but the final between Spain and Argentina is likely to be remembered not only for what happens on the field. Once again, the decisions made by FIFA are sparking debate, particularly the choice to feature a halftime show modeled after the one at the Super Bowl, the premier event in American football. The prospect of an extremely long halftime break has sparked fresh controversy, but FIFA itself has issued a clarification on the matter.

The international federation has confirmed that setting up and dismantling the stage will take about six minutes in total: the show itself will last eleven minutes, bringing the total duration of the halftime break not to the feared half-hour but to two minutes beyond the limit set by the regulations, which stipulate a break “not exceeding 15 minutes.”

The halftime show, regardless of its duration, is still a topic of debate in a tournament already rife with controversy over a perceived “Americanization” of the soccer product, an approach that also includes the introduction of hydration breaks—which, in effect, divide each half of the game into quarters—and even the preparation of special rings for the world champions, just as happens in the major tournaments of the most traditional sports in the United States.

Criticism was certainly not long in coming. On social media, fans are talking about the “distortion of soccer” and “entertainment encroaching on the sport” in a World Cup that is increasingly marketing-driven. For now, FIFA is responding to the criticism, stating that the Halftime Show is part of a communication strategy that can be managed in harmony with the sporting aspect, with the duration of the halftime break managed “in accordance with tournament rules.”