World Cup halftime show today: Time and how to watch
The World Cup halftime show is expected around 3:45 to 3:50 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19, during the Spain–Argentina final. Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Shakira headline FIFA’s first Super Bowl-style performance at New York New Jersey Stadium, with English coverage on Fox.
For decades, the World Cup final paused for a quiet 15-minute break. Today, that interval becomes a global pop moment. FIFA is staging its first Super Bowl-style World Cup halftime show during Sunday’s Spain versus Argentina final at New York New Jersey Stadium, turning the sport’s biggest match into a music event as well as a football one.
That shift sits squarely in the spirit of Nostalgia: Then & Now: familiar stadium ritual meeting a new entertainment playbook. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated the bill, stacking generations of stars into one short set.
Key Takeaways
- The World Cup final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19; the halftime show should begin around 3:45 to 3:50 p.m. ET if the match starts on time.
- Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Shakira headline, with Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay, plus Sesame Street and The Muppets characters also appearing.
- The musical performance is set to last about 11 minutes, though the full break could stretch toward 30 minutes for stage setup and teardown.
- English-language viewers can watch on Fox, Fox One, and the Fox Sports app; Spanish-language coverage airs on Telemundo and streams on Peacock.
- The show supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million for education and soccer programs for children worldwide.
What time does the World Cup halftime show start?
Kickoff for the World Cup final is 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19. FIFA and Global Citizen have not locked an exact start minute for the music, because soccer does not stop on a fixed TV clock the way the Super Bowl does.
The first half runs 45 minutes, then stoppage time pushes the break later. In practice, that points to a window of about 3:45 to 3:50 p.m. ET, assuming no major delays. Fans tuning in mainly for the music should be ready before 3:45 p.m. ET so they do not miss the opening.
Fox’s pregame coverage begins at noon ET, three hours before kickoff, which gives viewers plenty of runway before the World Cup halftime show arrives.
Who is performing in today’s World Cup final show?
The headliners are Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Shakira. That lineup alone spans pop eras: stadium anthems, global K-pop, and two artists long tied to big-stage spectacle.
They are not alone. Burna Boy joins the bill, as does conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay is also part of the performance, and characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets are scheduled to appear. Chris Martin’s curation ties the pieces together into FIFA’s first final-night entertainment package of this kind.
The music itself is planned for roughly 11 minutes. That is short by Super Bowl standards, but long enough to feel like a full moment between halves rather than a brief interlude.
Why might the halftime break last longer than usual?
Traditionally, soccer’s rulemakers keep halftime to 15 minutes. The International Football Association Board even rejected a 2021 proposal to extend the break to 25 minutes, citing player welfare and the risk of keeping athletes inactive too long.
Sunday could still look different. Broadcasters are preparing for the usual interval to stretch as long as 30 minutes while crews build and remove the stage. The performance may be 11 minutes, but the logistics around it are what could lengthen the pause.
Some fans see the extended break as another step toward a Super Bowl-style television spectacle, where entertainment and ad breaks compete with the match itself. Others simply want the music without losing the rhythm of the game. Either way, the World Cup halftime show marks a clear “then versus now” change in how the final is packaged for a US and UK audience.
How can you watch Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Shakira live?
The show airs inside the World Cup final broadcast, not as a separate special. English-language coverage is on Fox, with streaming on Fox One and the Fox Sports app.
Spanish-language coverage airs on Telemundo and streams on Peacock. Peacock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers can access all 104 World Cup matches live in Spanish, including the final and its halftime performance.
Wherever you watch, the practical tip is simple: be locked in before 3:45 p.m. ET. Soccer’s stoppage clock means the World Cup halftime show will not hit a perfect minute mark, and the opening can arrive quickly once the first half ends.
What cause does the World Cup halftime show support?
Beyond the celebrity draw, the performance is tied to a fundraising goal. It supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to education and soccer programs for children around the world.
FIFA says more than $50 million has already been raised, including $1 donated from every ticket sold during the tournament. That charitable frame gives the spectacle a purpose beyond pure buzz, even as the format itself feels new to World Cup tradition.
In short, Sunday’s final is still about Spain and Argentina on the pitch. The difference is what happens when the whistle blows for half: a first-of-its-kind World Cup halftime show built for a global TV audience, timed for mid-afternoon Eastern, and stacked with some of the biggest names in pop.