Overview
- The halftime show, which took place on Sunday, July 19, brought Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Burna Boy, orchestras and The Muppets to MetLife Stadium and stretched the usual interval to about 27 minutes.
- BTS performed “Dynamite,” becoming the first K-pop group to headline a FIFA World Cup final halftime segment and drawing strong praise from the band’s global fans.
- Reaction was sharply divided, with many viewers and pundits praising moments of the production while commentators such as Wayne Rooney called the show “crap” and said they wanted the football to resume.
- Critics warned the extended break clashed with football norms and player routines under IFAB guidance on 15-minute half-times, and some attendees reported entry delays of up to three hours linked to extra security for high-profile guests.
- FIFA framed the spectacle as legacy fundraising, but the expanded entertainment at the sport’s biggest match is likely to prompt debate about player welfare, commercial influence and whether such shows will return.