Overview
- The halftime show, which took place Sunday, July 19, was an 11‑minute curated performance inside a roughly 27‑minute halftime window that delayed the match restart and drew fan complaints.
- Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated a star lineup that included Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, The Muppets and special cameos, with Coldplay closing the set.
- FIFA paid production costs while artists accepted no fixed performance fees in a Super Bowl‑style arrangement tied to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund and a $1 per ticket pledge toward a $100 million goal.
- Immediate reaction skewed negative, with on‑air pundits like Wayne Rooney bluntly dismissing the show and public figures such as Liam Gallagher voicing sharp criticism on social media.
- Tabloid reports of backstage tension between headliners circulated without independent confirmation and critics warned the event could deepen reputational and commercial questions about FIFA’s push for bigger spectacle.