The traditional American-style halftime show made its World Cup debut during Sunday’s final between Spain and Argentina at the New York New Jersey Stadium, but the spectacle quickly drew criticism over its messaging, commercialisation and hypocrisy.
Produced by anti-poverty organisation Global Citizen, the 12-minute show featured appearances by Shakira, Madonna, Justin Bieber and K-pop group BTS.
Coldplay and the PS22 Chorus closed the performance with a song centred on love and solidarity. The multiracial children’s choir sang atop a rainbow-coloured globe, surrounded by giant letters spelling out “LOVE”.
Ahead of the final, FIFA promoted the show as a celebration of “football, music and our shared values”, saying it would leave “a legacy that transcends the final whistle”.
However, many football fans criticised the introduction of a US-style halftime spectacle as a break with the traditions of the tournament’s 96-year history.
Others accused organisers of promoting hollow messages of peace and unity in a country that continues to back Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza while overseeing a broader crackdown on civil rights at home.
The criticism also came against the backdrop of renewed US military action under Trump, whose administration has ordered strikes in countries including Iran, Yemen, Somalia and Nigeria since he returned to office in January 2025, while pursuing a sweeping immigration crackdown involving mass deportations, workplace raids and efforts to restrict birthright citizenship.
“The contradiction is hard to miss: the host country stages a spectacle about love and global solidarity while sustaining military, economic, and diplomatic support for operations that have killed thousands of civilians in the Middle East, including children, particularly in Gaza,” one Instagram user wrote.
“The gap between the show’s humanitarian language and actual US foreign policy is a textbook case of soft power laundering an image while state violence continues off-camera,” they added.
US President Donald Trump attended the match and later joined FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the pitch to hand out medals and present the trophy to the victorious Spanish team.
The pair were met with loud boos and whistles as they stepped onto the field.
Other viewers said the performances lacked focus and failed to generate excitement, while some accused FIFA of pushing the further commercialisation of football.
“I thought it was crap,” former England captain Wayne Rooney said during the BBC’s coverage.
