While many see the World Cup Final as the world’s biggest sporting event, the United States’ first-ever halftime show performance has angered many viewers in Britain.
Although Spain won a close 1-0 match against Argentina in the final, the game is being remembered for a controversial 25-minute period that many are calling a disgrace to the sport.
The Super Bowl’s halftime show was packed with stars like Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Shakira, even including an appearance by The Muppets! It ended with a heartwarming performance as a children’s choir joined Coldplay’s Chris Martin in singing a song about togetherness.
After the broadcast ended – keeping both teams waiting on the field much longer than the usual 15 minutes – viewers flooded social media with criticism, demanding the show be cancelled before the 2030 tournament to fix the issues.
Someone commented on X (formerly Twitter) that the World Cup halftime show was, as expected, not very good, and jokingly suggested they should have brought back Bruce Forsyth’s performance from the 1974 FA Cup Final instead.
I really disliked how the World Cup Final felt overly influenced by American entertainment, specifically with a flashy halftime show like those seen at the Super Bowl. It just didn’t feel right.
‘I just want to watch football, and I’m being forced to endure Justin Bieber and The Muppets;’
I returned to the room and it was still happening… I can’t believe this is going on. They’re barely managing to keep the energy up during halftime.
This halftime show is terrible. Halftime should be for fan challenges or the mascot clumsily trying to run a giveaway – or just selling pies!
’15 minutes and you should be able to set your watch by it;’
I hope this is the only time the World Cup halftime show ever disrupts the game – it’s really throwing off my enjoyment of the match!
Honestly, it was shocking. Justin Bieber got to perform at the World Cup Final – a huge opportunity! – but his rendition of one of his popular songs was incredibly lackluster.
Did that really just happen? Usually during halftime shows, commentators focus on strategy and player positioning. But this time it was… unexpected. We saw Madonna, a visibly uncomfortable Cristiano Ronaldo, characters from Ted Lasso, Justin Bieber, the Muppets, all performing alongside Coldplay!
This halftime show feels incredibly surreal. It’s so bizarre, it makes me wonder if I imagined the pandemic, or if we’re all paying for something!
He’s absolutely right – I had the same terrible experience with this World Cup. Honestly, it was the worst one yet. I hope they don’t do halftime shows at soccer games anymore (especially for American audiences); it was just embarrassing and really boring to watch, even though I enjoy a lot of the artists involved.
‘Halftime show was absolutely pointless and dumb;’
Morocco, Portugal, and Spain need to work together to fix what’s happening in soccer. I want to see an end to these poor performances during matches.
The United States should not be allowed to host another World Cup. Their handling of this tournament, particularly the final match, has been a disgrace to the event, the players, and the sport itself.
Many viewers found the halftime show disrespectful to the sport of football and expressed a desire for the World Cup to no longer be held in the United States.
The halftime show wasn’t very exciting – honestly, it was about as dull as the first half of the World Cup Final, except for The Muppets, who were fun.
How about that halftime show? Honestly, I didn’t like it much – it felt messy, too planned out, and just wasn’t very good. The Muppets were definitely the highlight though!
Picture this: you’re organizing the World Cup Final’s halftime show. You decide to feature Madonna and Justin Bieber to attract attention, even though you also have the Muppets available. It just doesn’t quite add up.
Former England player Wayne Rooney also criticized the show, jokingly saying his favorite part was when it ended.
He admitted he didn’t enjoy it, despite liking many of the featured artists, bluntly calling it terrible.
Honestly, I tried to get into it, but it just didn’t grab me. I was really missing football! The whole thing felt a little…flat. I enjoy artists like Burna Boy, Shakira, and Bieber, but this performance just didn’t have the energy I was hoping for.
Liam Gallagher wasn’t impressed, calling the performance “like a bad trip.” He joked that he was glad he had his “spiritual socks” on because the halftime show almost pushed him over the limit.
Sam Thompson expressed his disappointment with the halftime show on Instagram, saying it was unnecessary for such an important game and had disrupted the mood for everyone – players and fans alike.
‘Imagine the players watching Sesame Street whilst cramping up and needing to warm up again’.
Roy Keane seemed disappointed with the performance, commenting that it felt like things didn’t quite live up to expectations. He did add, though, that he was pleased to see Shakira.
Even TV presenter Lorraine Kelly commented on The Muppets’ halftime show, tweeting: ‘Seeing Animal on the drums almost makes up for everything with FIFA – now let’s get back to the game!’
The show kicked off its futuristic section with Madonna performing her song “Music,” joined on stage by soccer stars Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, who brought a lively energy.
The singer, known for her fit physique, displayed her legs while wearing stockings as she hugged the famous soccer players. They then drove her to the stadium, where they continued holding hands.
Justin surprised the audience by appearing with just a guitar and performing a World Cup-inspired rendition of his song, “Everything Hallelujah.”
The celebrity appeared calm and comfortable as he strolled onto the field and then began singing his popular song. He finished with a celebratory shout: ‘It’s the World Cup, Hallelujah!’
Shakira made a comeback performance at the World Cup, showcasing her fit physique in a sparkly pink and yellow outfit as she sang “Dai Dai” alongside Burna Boy. Meanwhile, the K-pop group BTS energized fans with their popular song “Dynamite.”
The World Cup final wasn’t just about the game – it also had a halftime show and a closing ceremony packed with stars! Performers included Post Malone, Tom Cruise, Nicole Scherzinger, IShowSpeed, Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams, and Laura Pausini.
Tom Cruise, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Matt Damon, and Adrien Brody were among the stars watching the championship match.
2026-07-20 13:20