Summary:
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final featured a 30-minute halftime show curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
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The star-studded spectacle included Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, the Muppets, and BTS, but faced backlash for lack of collaboration.
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Criticism arose over short performance times, commercial breaks, and calls to prevent future final hosting in North America.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final made history by breaking traditional football rules and stretching its halftime break to nearly 30 minutes for a Super Bowl-style musical spectacle.
Curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, the rapid-fire medley featured a chaotic lineup including Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, the Muppets, and K-pop icons BTS. However, the ambitious show sparked instant backlash online. Fans and viewers criticized the lack of collaboration and unity between headliners, while BTS’s massive global fandom expressed outrage over their microscopic 1-minute-and-45-second stage time after traveling from Paris.
Combined with extra commercialized pauses like controversial hydration breaks, sports purists are fiercely pushing back against the “Super Bowl-ification” of the game, with many demanding that North America never host another final.
