FIFA went against their promise of a shortened World Cup half-time show, with Spain and Argentina’s players forced to spend extra time in the dressing room during the final at MetLife Stadium. The entire break lasted 27 minutes and 22 seconds, far beyond the 17 minutes FIFA had assured both teams.
FIFA's Broken Promise
In response to concerns that the half-time show could last 30 minutes, FIFA contacted the Spanish and Argentinian football associations this week to confirm that the break would total 17 minutes. Six minutes would be dedicated to the assembly and dismantling of the stage, while the show itself would be reduced to an 11-minute block. However, the actual duration from the half-time whistle to the start of the second half was 27 minutes and 22 seconds.
The Super Bowl-style show featured Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy and K-pop boyband BTS, a first for a World Cup final. Brazil World Cup winners Ronaldo and Ronaldinho also made a surprise appearance during Madonna’s opening song.
Breach of IFAB Rules
The extended show breached the maximum time of 15 minutes for a half-time interval permitted under the International FA Board’s (IFAB) Laws of the Game. In last year’s Club World Cup final, where Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain at the same venue, FIFA’s half-time show lasted 24 minutes following performances from Coldplay, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems and Emmanuel Kelly.
In 2021, CONMEBOL wanted to extend the maximum half-time length to 25 minutes but that was rejected by IFAB due to the ‘negative impact on player welfare and safety resulting from a longer period of inactivity’. In 2024, CONMEBOL produced a half-time show for the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia lasting around 25 minutes.
Coaching Concerns
Colombia head coach Nestor Lorenzo had previously voiced concerns before his side’s 1-0 defeat to Argentina in the 2024 Copa America final. ‘I think the half-time for the final should be 15 minutes because those are the rules,’ he said. ‘But now apparently, because there’s going to be a concert, we’ll be walking back out 20 to 25 minutes later. This could affect the players’ fitness, they could cool down too much. Those minutes of recovery in the dressing room… people don’t understand what it takes to reach those levels.’
