World Cup final half-time may run 20-30 minutes amid Super Bowl-style show | OneFootball

FIFA has yet to confirm the exact length of half-time at Sunday’s World Cup final in New York, the first to include a concert. According to L'Équipe, broadcasters still lack a running order and many expect the interval to exceed the usual 15 minutes.

Kick-off is 21:00, and FIFA has scheduled an 11-minute, Super Bowl-style show directed by Coldplay singer Chris Martin. Shakira, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, Madonna and K-pop group BTS are due to perform, with FIFA billing a memorable celebration of sport and music.

The overall timing remains unclear, with talk of a 20 to 30-minute break. Broadcasters have not received the precise half-time script and are eyeing ad slots during stage build and removal, unsure how to structure coverage.

One broadcaster said adverts would run first, then any remaining time might allow brief analysis, adding they had sought clarity since early in the week. They noted the opening ceremony is set 80 minutes before kick-off and the pre-match protocol 20 minutes before, and doubted half-time would reach 30 minutes, which they viewed as odd competitively. IFAB’s laws state the interval should not exceed 15 minutes.

There is precedent, with last year’s Club World Cup final in the United States running to a 25-minute interval. With cooling breaks already extending games, the total duration from kick-off to full-time on Sunday remains unclear.

M6 president David Larramendy, who has paid 120 million for rights to this World Cup and the same for 2030 in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, said he is awaiting FIFA’s schedule and intends to air the concert in full. beIN Sports is expected to do likewise, limiting studio analysis.

Source: L'Équipe