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When is the World Cup halftime show? How to watch Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Shakira live.
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FIFA is giving the World Cup final its first Super Bowl-style halftime show, and the lineup is almost as crowded as the pitch.
Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Shakira will headline the performance during Sunday’s final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium. Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay will also appear, along with characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated the show.
What time is the World Cup halftime show?
The World Cup final kicks off Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m. ET, and the halftime show should begin sometime around 3:45 to 3:50 p.m. ET, assuming the match starts on time and there are no major delays. FIFA and Global Citizen have not announced an exact start time for the performance because, unlike the Super Bowl, soccer does not stop at a perfectly scheduled point. The first half lasts 45 minutes, but additional stoppage time will push halftime back by several minutes.
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Viewers primarily interested in the music should tune in before 3:45 or risk missing the opening of the show.
The performance itself will last 11 minutes, but the full halftime break could reportedly be considerably longer since crews will need time to build and remove the stage. Broadcasters are preparing for the usual 15-minute interval to stretch to as long as 30 minutes.
Not everyone is thrilled about that possibility, especially given the sport’s history. Soccer’s rulemaking body, the International Football Association Board, normally limits halftime to 15 minutes and even rejected a 2021 proposal to extend it to 25, citing concerns about player welfare and the risks of keeping athletes inactive for too long.
USA can f*** off. Half time on Sunday is going to be at least 30 minutes as they're doing superbowl style entertainment at half time. @FIFAcom shouldn't allow it. This has been the worst world cup I've ever seen
— Col Draper 🇺🇦 (@WheelieTiger) July 14, 2026
Hope the entire halftime world cup show is booed throughout. Utterly ridiculous they're even considering extending it to half an hour #WorldCup
— 𝓐𝓭𝓪𝓶 (@AdamsBapple) July 15, 2026
Just heard the World Cup final half time show will mean a 30 minute half time? Are they effing joking? We’re not here for a pop festival. It will completely ruin the atmosphere and momentum of the match.
— David Osborn (@david_osborn) July 14, 2026
Some fans also see the extended break as another attempt to turn the World Cup into a Super Bowl-style American television spectacle, with the entertainment (and controversial ad breaks) becoming almost as important as the game.
Been a decent World Cup, but there's been far too many Americanisms. 4 quarters, shit cheesy music to entertain, random cut aways to random celebs and now a shitty half time show. https://t.co/LozYenGXo6
— Matthew Watson (@Mattack2392) July 14, 2026
hydration breaks now 30 minute halftime show? These man ruined the World Cup
— King Kevin 👑 (@Kevin_longjohn) July 15, 2026
It's an absolute disgrace having a "half time show"!! The USA should NEVER be allowed to host the #worldcup EVER again. They have ruined it with their Americanisation of a sport most of them haven't got a clue about.
— Kivalcam (@kivalcam) July 14, 2026
How to watch the World Cup halftime show
The halftime show will air as part of the World Cup final broadcast. English-language coverage is available on Fox, while the game can be streamed through Fox One and the Fox Sports app. Fox’s pregame coverage begins at noon ET, three hours before kickoff.
Spanish-language coverage will air on Telemundo and stream on Peacock. Peacock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers have access to all 104 World Cup matches live in Spanish, including the final and its halftime performance. You can also check out Mashable’s guide to watching the 2026 World Cup online for free, which includes tips for global readers and VPN users.
The halftime show supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to education and soccer programs for children around the world. FIFA says more than $50 million has already been raised, including $1 donated from every ticket sold during the tournament.
Olivia Tauber is the deputy editor of digital culture, covering creators, media, movies, beauty, and more. Based in New York, her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Cut, Teen Vogue, Complex, and Interview Magazine. She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from NYU and a Bachelor’s from the University of Michigan. She also runs Fan Mail, a weekly pop-culture newsletter.
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