FIFA aiming for 20-minute halftime break during World Cup final musical performance

 

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has assembled quite the star-studded lineup for the first-ever World Cup final halftime performance. Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Madonna will all contribute to the spectacle.

But the introduction of a halftime show at the World Cup has been met with quite a bit of scrutiny. Soccer has famously short halftime intermissions, a maximum of 15 minutes under the official rules set forth by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). It became clear quite quickly that such an elaborate halftime performance would require a much longer intermission, especially considering FIFA plans to erect a stage on the field at MetLife Stadium for the performance.