What is the story about?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on Sunday (July 19) at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will see a major precedent be broken
as the halftime break will be longer than usual and is expected to last about 17 minutes, which is two minutes more than the mandated 15-minute break. For those unversed, the summit clash will see a half-time show, which is not the case in a football game usually. However, it is common in American sports, where it is an annual affair in the NFL's Super Bowl encounter, which is among the most watched sporting events of the year. The show will be a star-studded affair with performances from Shakira, Madonna, BTS, Bruno Boy, and Justin Bieber.
Half-Time Break Extended
While it was initially claimed that the break will be 30 minutes long, reports have now stated that the break will be 17 minutes long. The performances will last 11 minutes, while another six minutes will be needed for the stage to be arranged and dismantled.
How Will Football Laws Will Be Broken?
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) rules state the half-time break must not last any longer than 15 minutes.
"Players are entitled to an interval at half-time, not exceeding 15 minutes; a short drinks break (which should not exceed one minute) is permitted at the interval of half-time in extra time. Competition rules must state the duration of the half-time interval and it may be altered only with the referee's permission," IFAB rules state.
Usually at World Cup finals, there is a closing ceremony before the game, but a halftime show is a first in the tournament's history. However, there was one during last year's Club World Cup final between Chelsea and PSG, which also took place at the same venue.
There was a closing ceremony before today's game too in which Tom Cruise, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and IShowSpeed performed. The match started six minutes late.
