FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday confirmed that the 2026 World Cup final will include a halftime show for the first time in history, Afrosport reports.
The Mundial, which is to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will have its final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 19 July 2026.
“I can confirm the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York/New Jersey, in association with Global Citizen,” Infantino wrote on Instagram.
“This will be a historic moment for the World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”
Infantino revealed that in addition to the partnership with the Global Citizen advocacy group, FIFA will work with British music group Coldplay to help produce the halftime show.
Coldplay, who Infantino claimed will help curate a list of invited artists, performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2016.
The FIFA boss also revealed that the World Cup would “take over” New York’s Times Square for both the final and third-place match.
The opening game of the 2026 World Cup is scheduled to be held at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 11 June 2026.
The tournament will consist of 104 matches with an expanded 48 national teams competing for the ultimate prize of winning the World Cup.
