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FIFA has settled the controversy over the length of the half-time match between Spain and Argentina at the 2026 World Cup final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday, confirming that it will not exceed just 17 minutes, two minutes longer than usual.
FIFA has officially informed the federations of Spain and Argentina that 11 minutes of half-time will be devoted to musical performances by stars Shakira, Madonna and Justin Bieber, much shorter than originally planned, after previous reports suggested the performances could last more than half an hour.
The International Federation clarified that the remaining time, approximately 6 minutes, will be devoted to preparing and dismantling the music stand and watering the field, which is especially relevant for the Spanish team after the MetLife pitch in previous matches seemed very dry and slower than usual.
There have been no changes to the water breaks, which have become a regular feature in this edition of the World Cup due to the high temperatures in most matches, as there will be two breaks as usual, one in each half.
The decision comes to allay fears that the long break between the two teams was affecting the players’ fitness and concentration in the most important game in football history, which is expected to attract more than 80,000 spectators in stadiums and millions of spectators around the world.
