FIFA expects “billions” of viewers to watch the 11-minute performance, the first of its kind at a World Cup.
Published July 8, 2026
Justin Bieber has been added to the star-studded line-up for the first-ever World Cup final halftime show, as organizers confirmed the entire musical performance will last 11 minutes.
Canadian megastar Bieber will perform with Madonna, Shakira and K-pop sensations BTS for a Super Bowl-style halftime show at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19th.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Coldplay’s Chris Martin is organizing the extravaganza, which is a first for a soccer World Cup final and has raised concerns about the length of the match’s half-time break.
Under Soccer Law, the halftime interval is allowed to be “not to exceed 15 minutes.” Even an 11-minute musical performance may require an extended break, given the time it will likely take to set up and tear down the show.
But the announcement is likely to allay concerns raised by previous speculation that the World Cup final half-time show itself could last up to 25 minutes.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the halftime show would be “undoubtedly the biggest stage in history” and was expected to be watched by “billions of people.”
The show, which also features characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets, will support FIFA’s Global Citizenship Education Fund, an initiative to raise $100 million for children around the world during the World Cup.
“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way that nothing else can,” Bieber said in a statement.
“I’m grateful to be a part of this halftime show, and even more grateful to know that it’s already helping expand access to education for children around the world,” the Stay and Love Yourself hitmaker added.
Wednesday’s announcement also added Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy and Venezuelan classical conductor Gustavo Dudamel to the lineup.
Coldplay will be featured in collaboration with the PS22 Chorus, an acclaimed choir made up of New York public elementary school students.
“This is the single largest gathering of artists coming together for a cause since Live Aid, and could be the most-watched 11-minute broadcast music performance in history,” said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of anti-poverty campaign group and concert organizer Global Citizen.
The World Cup final halftime show will be 11 minutes long, making it slightly shorter than recent Super Bowl halftime shows, which are usually about 13 to 14 minutes long.
A trial halftime show was also held at MetLife Stadium during last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final.
The entire break period was extended to just over 24 minutes, leading to criticism that it could affect the players’ performance.
