FIFA has confirmed that the half-time interval for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be extended to 25 minutes, comprising a 15-minute break and an 11-minute Super Bowl-style show. This change forces BBC and ITV to adjust their television coverage, spending more time in the studio with pundits during the extended interval.
Extended Half-Time Show Details
The show, co-headlined by Madonna, Shakira, and K-pop boy band BTS, will take place at New York New Jersey Stadium. The usual half-time break in football is 15 minutes, as stipulated by the laws of the game governed by IFAB (the International Football Association Board), which states that players are entitled to a half-time break "not exceeding 15 minutes." However, FIFA has decided to add the 11-minute performance after the standard break.
Match and Broadcast Timing
The final kicks off at 3:00 PM local time in the US (8:00 PM BST). A closing ceremony will begin at 1:30 PM local time (6:30 PM BST). Spain has already secured its place in the final after defeating France 2-0 on Tuesday night. England will face Argentina in the second semi-final on Wednesday evening at 8:00 PM BST.
England Coach Comments on Argentina Rivalry
England coach Thomas Tuchel commented on the historic rivalry with Argentina, saying: "I know some of the players, I coached some of the players. I can sense it. You can see it. They have this kind of edge. You can sense it when they’re going a goal down, when matches are tight. They’re almost the same group as four years ago. You can see the cohesion, you can see the sacrifice that they put into it. They believe in their style. And their style is a very emotional style. It was in Qatar and it is now. And, of course, history … they are also fuelled by that. They are fuelled by history, it means a lot to them. So this is what we basically expect, and what we are up against. But we are also emotional, we have the grit, we have the mentality that it takes to go up against it. And we are ready for it."
