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Following the news that the FIFA World Cup final will feature its first halftime show in history, The Cure’s Robert Smith took to social media to slam the announcement.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH… #Breadandcircuses #MUGWANK
#pleasejustfuckoff,” Smith wrote on The Cure’s Instagram account.
Curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, performers will include Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS. In a statement, FIFA president Gianni Infantosser described the halftime special as a “groundbreaking spectacle” that will celebrate “football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle.”
A few hours after his initial post, Smith clarified in another post that he wasn’t critiquing the performers. “IT IS ABOUT THE #MUGWANK I D E A OF A FOOTBALL WORLD CUP FINAL HALF TIME SHOW… IF YOU NOW UNDERSTAND MY ‘AAAAAAAGH!’ A BIT BETTER, BUT STILL DON’T AGREE, PLEASE ADJUST YOUR RED CAP, YOUR ‘I 🖤 JANNY + DONNY + $$$’ TSHIRT AND… KNOCK YOURSELF OUT? ONWARDS,” he wrote.
Reps for FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Another area of contention online has been the actual length of the halftime show; sources told BBC News that the halftime show may last up to 25 minutes, but tournament regulations state that players’ breaks should not go over 15 minutes.
As Variety exclusively reported, the halftime show will also include performances from members of the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, who are set to jointly perform a tribute to Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes in the region.
The Cure is currently touring through Europe, most recently performing in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Smith was also featured on the duet “What’s Wrong With Me” as part of Olivia Rodrigo’s new album.
