Overview
- Organizers staged a star-studded pre-game and, for the first time, an about eleven-minute Super Bowl–style halftime that required on-field stage assembly and longer breaks.
- Alexander Klaws posted on Instagram after Sunday’s final calling the entertainment a “Mini Playbackshow” and urging that artists perform live on such a global stage.
- Coverage notes the halftime mixed live performances with pre-produced elements, with some artists like Justin Bieber appearing live while others had prepared segments.
- ARD said the extended show was intended to raise $100 million for an education fund to support schooling and football for children in poorer countries.
- Public reaction remains divided, with some viewers tuning in mainly for the music and others saying the spectacle overshadowed the football, a split that could shape how future finals balance entertainment and sport.