FIFA have faced backlash for a multitude of mistakes from ticket pricing to Balogun's strange overturned red card and now ahead of the World Cup final FIFA face new backlash.
FIFA officials have removed the game's laws in favour of the Americanisation of the sport. With a Super Bowl type half time occurring this Sunday, many fans from across the globe have been angered by FIFA's decision.
Why FIFA Is Turning The World Cup Final Into A Spectacle
A lineup full of stars for all in attendance will open the final during the pre match ceremony. Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams are all performing alongside popular social media personality IShowSpeed and actor Tom Cruise.
The opening ceremony to the final has also been named the "closing ceremony". Following the star studded lineup the American national anthem will play, which isn't tradition since the national team won't appear in the final.
However, FIFA have found another loophole, allowing the Star Spangled Banner to be played ahead of kick off in the minutes leading up to the participating nations' anthems.
“Echoing the spirit of the opening ceremonies, which welcomed the world to the greatest stage in Canada, Mexico and the United States, the closing ceremony will bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 full circle through music, culture and football, before we kick off the highly anticipated match that will crown the champions of this ground breaking tournament,” said FIFA Chief Operating Officer of the tournament Heimo Schirgi.
Does The Extended Half-Time Break Break Football's Rules?
Under Law 7 of the IFAB Laws of the Game half time cannot take longer then 15 minutes. However, as they have done so frequently, FIFA officials have found loopholes in the International Football Association Board's rules. These rules have been followed since the 1886.
In last season's FIFA Club World Cup the half time show kept both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain waiting for a shocking 25 minutes opposed to the standard 15 minutes. That game saw Chelsea win at MetLife stadium, the same destination at the final.
FIFA directly contradicted IFAB's 2021 ruling which rejected CONMEBOL (the South American federation) to extended their half time to 25 minutes on the basis “negative impact on player welfare and safety resulting from a longer period of inactivity”.
With Shakira, Justin Bieber, Madonna and BTS all performing at half time, each could perform a 3 minute song and it would be within the 15 minutes of a normal halftime. However, since we are in America, FIFA are looking to rinse the viewer once again with more theatricals and adverts.
Not even Super Bowls have this long of a delay. Artist Bad Bunny, who headlined Super Bowl 2026, was given a 13 minute track list with a total length of just 20-25 minutes when including the setting up and down of the set. The Americanised Super Bowl half times are not even as long as the break we are getting for the World Cup final.