ITV to broadcast World Cup half-time show in full
By Lauren Del Fabbro, Press Association Entertainment Reporter
ITV will broadcast the World Cup half-time show in full, the broadcaster has confirmed.
The interval performance is the first of its kind for the international football tournament and will feature Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy and Justin Bieber.
ITV confirmed to the Press Association that it will show the performance in full as well as match analysis, during the final on Sunday at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
PA understands the BBC will announce plans for Sunday’s broadcast in due course.
Rumours suggest the half-time line-up might break Fifa’s rules by extending the interval from a typical 15 minutes to up to 25 minutes.
Many were also concerned that the spectacle would replace the broadcaster’s analysis by pundits.
Half-time entertainment has become a major feature of sporting events in the US, notably during the Super Bowl.
The performance at the World Cup final will be curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and will also feature Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS 22 Chorus and characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.
The show will be staged in support of the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise 100 million US dollars to expand access to education and football for children around the world.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has described the performance as a “groundbreaking spectacle” that will “celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle”.
It was also announced that Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, popstar Robbie Williams and US singer Jennifer Hudson will perform during the closing ceremony.
The event will take place 90 minutes before kick-off and will also feature performances from Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, Italian singer-songwriter Laura Pausini and streamer IShowSpeed – with Hudson set to deliver a rendition of the US national anthem.
The final on Sunday will see Spain face the winning team from Wednesday’s semi-final between England and Argentina.
