Overview
- On Sunday, July 19, Alexander Klaws posted on Instagram that the music around the World Cup final had been reduced to a "Mini Playback Show" and urged artists to perform live on such a global stage.
- Hours after his initial post Klaws clarified he was criticizing the preshow rather than the official halftime set.
- Broad coverage notes that some performers, including Justin Bieber and BTS, sang live while other segments appeared pre-produced or used playback, with Madonna singled out as having pre-recorded elements.
- Organizers ran an expanded, roughly 11-minute Super Bowl–style halftime that required heavy on-field staging and was presented by ARD as a fundraiser linked to a reported $100 million education fund.
- Public reaction is split between viewers who felt spectacle overshadowed the sport and those who tuned in for the music, and the debate could influence how future finals balance live performance, logistics and charitable goals.