IT is certainly not the World Cup final we were hoping for – and it will not be like any we have seen before.
Fans have already endured Fifa and the Yanks turning matches into a version of American football, with four quarters, kick-off countdowns and shots of celebs in the crowds every few minutes. Now get ready for the Super Bowl World Cup Final tomorrow.
The USA will mark the World Cup Final with a celeb-packed show resembling the Super Bowl Credit: AFP
Colombian singer Shakira is among the stars lined up to perform at the half-time show Credit: Getty
Justin Bieber will also be on stage in the 30-minute half-time show, extended from the usual 15 minute interval Credit: Getty
Korean band BTS are among the performers – with organisers inviting acts from across the globe Credit: Getty
Bosses have decided that not only will there be a pre-game show, but in a move that has left supporters furious, there will also be a 30-minute half-time extravaganza featuring some of the world’s biggest pop stars.
The closing ceremony, which will start 90 minutes before kick-off, will feature Post Malone, Tom Cruise, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and YouTuber IShowSpeed.
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And Jennifer Hudson will sing the American national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, before Spain take on Argentina, who saw off England 2-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final.
Fans have been told to arrive at the New York New Jersey Stadium at 11am for a 3pm kick-off.
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And then after 45 minutes of actual football, the match will be disrupted as we have never seen before.
Regulations stipulate that the half-time break should be no longer than 15 minutes, but it will be extended by up to 30 minutes for a bumper bill of music megastars to rival the annual Super Bowl half-time show.
On a bill put together by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, the spectacle will feature performances from Madonna, Shakira, Burna Boy, BTS, Justin Bieber and Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
Things will then take an odd turn when Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and Elmo get involved, along with other characters from The Muppets and Sesame Street.
Madonna will be among the big name acts performing at the mega half-time show Credit: Instagram/@madonna
Burna Boy has also been scheduled to perform at the one-off spectacle in New Jersey Credit: Getty
Viewers can also expect to see Sesame Street character Elmo make an appearance Credit: Getty
Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel is also among the half-time acts for the Final Credit: Getty
The musical segment is set to last around 11 minutes but the full half-time interval is expected to stretch to between 20 and 30 minutes so the stage can be built and cleared.
There will also be a very American feel to the day’s sporting element.
Like many US sporting events, there will be a military jet flypast before Jattvibeday’s kick-off — and winners of the game will receive gold signet-style rings with the World Cup etched on it alongside a series of diamonds.
There are 30 for the winning squad and 1,996 will go on sale. NFL’s Super Bowl victors are always presented with rings — but it’s an alien concept to us Brits.
Similar to many US sporting events, there will be a military jet flypast before Jattvibeday’s kick-off Credit: Alamy
The winners of the 2026 World Cup will receive a unique gold signet-style rings Credit: http://www.fifa.com/
Trump, who failed to attend any of the World Cup games, will present the jewellery to the victors along with the trophy — and the US President has also been given permission to join the winning team’s celebrations on the podium.
His presence has turned the final into a National Special Security Event with fines of $100,000 for anyone who breaks the no-drone zone around the stadium.
If Argentina win, though, don’t expect to see their president anywhere near the stadium.
Superstitious Javier Milei will be watching at home with his sister, wearing a thick winter jacket for good luck — just as he has done throughout the tournament.
Prince William had planned to attend the Final if England had made it past Argentina Credit: Reuters
President Donald Trump will join FIFA chief Gianni Infantino at the World Cup Final and will present the trophy Credit: Getty
Argentine President Javier Milei will be staying at home in South America for the Final Credit: AFP
King Felipe VI of Spain will attend instead of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Credit: Getty
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will also be absent, avoiding a potentially embarrassing meeting with Trump who called Spain a “wasted cause” and “terrible Nato partner”. King Felipe VI will represent Spain instead.
Other absentees include football fans Prince William and Sir Keir Starmer, who both planned to go if England made the final.
Dignitaries in attendance include Canada’s PM Mark Carney, Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum and Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
Meanwhile, ITV and BBC are gearing up to air the half-time show — and for the commercial broadcaster, that means cashing in with more ads which cost £500,000 a 30-second slot.
Nicole Scherzinger will be starring as part of the closing ceremony – being held before the final Credit: Getty
Legendary actor Tom Cruise will also be making an appearance – just like he did at the Paris Olympics Credit: Getty
Robbie Williams will be representing the UK by performing at the closing ceremony Credit: Getty
Popular streamer IShowSpeed has also been invited to perform at the extravaganza Credit: Getty
In the US, advertisers have to commit to commercials throughout the whole tournament, which means they must spend $25million to get a slot in the final.
The extended half-time break has raised eyebrows, with some critics accusing Fifa of aggressively commercialising the beautiful game.
Questions have also been raised about the toll it will have on the players, including superstars Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi, who will have to sit idle for 30 minutes during the biggest game of their lives.
Fifa has attempted to soften the blow by announcing the show is in aid of the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund. The tournament has so far raised $50million for the charity.
It is not the first time Fifa has extended half-time, though — there was a longer break at the same stadium during last year’s Fifa Club World Cup final, where Chelsea beat French club PSG 3-0.
Chris Martin picked the acts for that game too. The spectacle was headlined by J Balvin, Doja Cat and Tems, while Chris made a surprise appearance to perform Coldplay’s A Sky Full Of Stars with Aussie singer Emmanuel Kelly.
But the event came under fire for stretching the half-time interval to nearly 25 minutes.
Announcing this year’s World Cup final spectacle, Fifa chief Infantino said it would “celebrate football, music and our shared values”.
Jennifer Hudson will kick off the closing ceremony by performing the US national anthem Credit: Getty
Post Malone will also be performing at the closing ceremony – but not everybody is happy about the show Credit: Getty
But several people have blasted the move.
Restore MP and ex-Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe fumed on X: “A Fifa-enforced thirty-minute half-time to accommodate some dreadful Super Bowl-style show in the World Cup final is truly an abomination.”
Former Australian footballer Craig Foster wrote on the social media platform: “Let them all come out, wave, sing a few beats if necessary, and get off within 15 minutes. As the laws of the game dictate.”
Fifa has already angered supporters at this year’s World Cup by including three-minute hydration breaks in each half, essentially turning a football match into a four-quartered game, mirroring American football.
The hydration breaks are meant for players to take on additional water during the hot weather.
But before the tournament began, it was decided the stoppages would be part of every match, even in air-conditioned stadiums.
Netherlands captain and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk previously said he “didn’t really like” the commercial-filled breaks — which cost advertisers up to $8million — and thought they were not ideal for the “neutral watchers on TV”.
England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted he “didn’t really love them”, but said he “made the most of it” by handing out additional tactical advice to his players.
The breaks have been widely booed at games, with many believing the true reason for them is to allow additional ads to be screened.
Tomorrow’s final could see Spain clinch their second-ever World Cup or Argentina make it back-to-back triumphs.
But while the 90 minutes will be a huge opportunity for the players to cement legendary status in their home countries, half-time will provide a major opportunity for pop star Justin Bieber.
The Never Say Never hitmaker has slowly been returning to the limelight after his 2023 world tour was axed due to health issues.
At his most recent performance, at Coachella in April, he was sitting on his laptop throughout — but fans expect him to up the ante on Jattvibeday when he performs for a global audience of more than a billion.
A music insider told us: “Justin has been very cautious about getting back on the music scene, but Hailey [his wife] has been really supporting him.”
And Justin cannot wait to be part of the spectacle.
He said: “The Fifa World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can. I’m grateful to be part of this half-time show.”
