Arabic version: قد تمتد استراحة نهائي كأس العالم إلى 25 دقيقة
The half-time interval for Sunday’s World Cup final is expected to last between 20 and 25 minutes, with an 11-minute stadium show planned during the break.
According to BBC News, the Super Bowl-style interval performance at New York New Jersey Stadium will be co-headlined by Madonna, Shakira and K-pop boy band BTS. Justin Bieber was added to the bill last week, and the show also includes Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay, with Chris Martin curating the production.
Sources within World Cup organisers Fifa suggest the break will be around 20 minutes, but one option under consideration is the normal 15-minute half-time followed by the planned 11-minute show. The laws of the game, governed by Ifab (the International Football Association Board), state that players are entitled to a half-time break “not exceeding 15 minutes.” That discrepancy between the planned entertainment and Ifab’s limit is central to why the interval is being discussed publicly.
Last year’s Club World Cup final, also organised by Fifa and held in New Jersey, had a total half-time of 24 minutes because of a performance featuring Coldplay, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems and Emmanuel Kelly, providing a recent precedent for an extended interval to accommodate a staged show.
The World Cup final will kick off at 15:00 local time (20:00 BST), and organisers say there will be a closing ceremony starting at 13:30 local time (18:30 BST). Tom Cruise, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and IShowSpeed are set to perform as part of that ceremony, with Jennifer Hudson due to sing the United States’ national anthem.
Spain booked their place in the final by beating France 2-0 in the first semi-final in Dallas and will face either England or Argentina, who meet in Atlanta on Wednesday (20:00 BST). The planned interval would therefore be longer than the 15-minute half-time specified in Ifab’s laws and follows the recent Fifa-organised precedent when a final had a 24-minute break to accommodate a performance.
Related sections: General | Sports/الرياضة | World/العالم | Social/إجتماعية
