The First-Ever World Cup Halftime Show Packed Too Much In—Yet Somehow Still Delivered a Thrill

Just last week, I noted that few things are more quintessentially American than ranch dressing or a $750 taxidermy raccoon statue — Erling Haaland's souvenir of choice from the World Cup. Today, I'd like to expand on that thought: alongside creamy condiments and stuffed trash pandas, few things are more American than a halftime show. 

Perhaps that's exactly why FIFA chose to stage a mid-game concert during Sunday's World Cup final, which, like much of this tournament, took place on American soil just outside one of the nation's most iconic cities. For decades, American sports fans have been treated to mid-game performances at football and basketball events of all sizes, the most celebrated of which takes place at the Super Bowl each February. Was Sunday's show something of a nod to that tradition?

Probably not; it's hard to imagine FIFA was catering to anyone other than itself and its commercial instincts, eager to attract viewers and generate even more revenue. Still, as a live music enthusiast and regular concertgoer, I can't pretend I wasn't curious about the prospect of a performance — maybe even a little excited to watch it, however questionable and criticized the organization's motivations may have been.

Now that it's all said and done, though, I feel confident saying: what a bewildering, if undeniably entertaining, intermission it turned out to be.

The 11-minute spectacle kicked off with what was very likely a pre-recorded segment featuring Madonna, in which the iconic pop star appeared to glide through the stadium's underbelly while lip-syncing to her 2000s anthem "Music." Simple enough.

But by the time she emerged onto the pitch, all she had time for was a quick pose alongside Brazilian icons Ronaldo and Ronaldinho before handing things off to the next act, which turned out to be … the Muppets?

Animal performing "Seven Nation Army" was not something I had on my bingo card, and I'll freely admit I burst out laughing at the sight of it.

The surprises kept coming; following an energetic performance from K-pop supergroup BTS, Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt — who portray the show's beloved soccer coach and his right-hand man, Coach Beard — had the privilege of introducing Justin Bieber for an acoustic version of SWAG II's "Everything Hallelujah." (Clearly, my pleas for "Beauty and a Beat" fell on deaf ears. Sigh.)

While Bieber sounded fantastic — and though it's always heartwarming to see the former child star looking happy and well, as he did on Sunday — his decision to slow the tempo during his segment of the already eclectic extravaganza only amplified the tonal whiplash of the overall production.

Shakira and Burna Boy then reignited the energy with another rousing performance of their upbeat "Dai Dai," which they had also performed at the tournament's opening match, before the PS22 Chorus from Staten Island, N.Y., joined Coldplay frontman and (halftime show architect) Chris Martin for an almost cloyingly sweet moment of togetherness that has become something of a signature move for the British alt-rocker over the past 15 years. 

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I can't claim I didn't enjoy the show; for one thing, very few halftime performances have ever drawn a genuine laugh from me, and this one managed two — the second coming when cameras panned to Kermit and a pink-clad Miss Piggy (can we just include the Muppets in everything, please?). And for another, Martin & Co. did a commendable job curating the afternoon's lineup, with selections that reflected the tournament's global reach.

Overall, though, the whole affair was simply too chaotic to carry any real weight. Each performer was given what felt like mere seconds to make their mark, despite each being more than capable of headlining on their own, and the relentless stimulation muddied what could have been a more powerful — or at least more coherent — message. Perhaps the organizers were hedging their bets, knowing that if they didn't fill every second with spectacle, an already-skeptical audience would remember they never wanted this to begin with. But if FIFA attempts this again in 2030, I'd urge them to dial it back just a notch, and trust that quality, not quantity, is ultimately what will win over the doubters.

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Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sports and culture at TheWeek.com before transitioning to Livingetc, an interior design publication. She holds a degree from Syracuse University, with dual majors in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing management (from the Whitman School of Management). In her spare time, she enjoys going to the cinema, reading and cheering on the Steelers.