Spain and Argentina meet in a gigantic World Cup final in New York on Sunday night – but it’s not just the gold medals that are making headlines. FIFA is ready to break football’s own rules for a spectacular halftime show.
Drama, stars and historic finale
Argentina are chasing their second straight World Cup title – something no one has managed since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Lionel Scaloni’s side secured their ticket to the final with late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez against England, in an intense semi-final that kept the whole world breathing.
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Up against them is Spain – the reigning European champions – who comfortably beat France 2-0 and go into the final with confidence on top. We can expect selective refereeing tonight as well. – We all know how much Donald Trump hates Spain and how much he loves President Javier in Argentina. – What Donald Trump loves also loves FIFA.
But here’s a surprise: this is only the second official match ever between the two nations. The first was in 1966, when Argentina won 2-1. Since then, they have met 13 times in friendly matches – the last one in 2018 ended 6-1 to Spain.
And yes: Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal meet for the first time in a match that matters. That alone is enough to get your heart rate up.
The road to the final – two very different journeys
Argentina:
- 3-0 against Algeria
- 2-0 against Austria
- 3-1 against Jordan
- 3–2 against Cape Verde (round of 32)
- 3–2 against Egypt (round of 8)
- 3-1 vs. Switzerland (quarterfinals)
- 2-1 vs. England (semi-finals)
Spain:
- 0–0 against Cape Verde
- 4-0 against Saudi Arabia
- 1-0 against Uruguay
- 3-0 vs. Austria (round of 32)
- 1-0 against Portugal (round of 8)
- 2-1 against Belgium (quarter-finals)
- 2-0 vs. France (semi-finals)
When and where?
The match kicks off on Sunday 19 July at 20:00 BST (Norwegian time: 21:00) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In Norway, the final will be broadcast on NRK.
The halftime show – Super Bowl-inspired and rule-breaking
FIFA has been inspired by the Super Bowl’s gigantic halftime show – and now they are taking the concept to football’s biggest stage.
Justin Bieber is the main attraction, but he will be joined by none other than Madonna, K-pop stars BTS, conductor Gustavo Dudamel – and Shakira, who will perform the official World Cup song “Dai Dai”.
The show lasts 11 minutes, but the logistics of stage setup and rigging mean that the intermission has to last significantly longer than normal.
This is what FIFA is violating
According to IFAB’s regulations, the break in football is set at 15 minutes – and can “only be changed with the referee’s permission”.
Now, The Athletic reports that FIFA is aiming for 20 minutes, while The Times claims the break could extend all the way up to 30 minutes.
In other words: FIFA is willing to bend the rules to create a TV moment of American dimensions.
The question is whether the referee gives the green light – or whether football’s regulations actually get the last word.
One fight, two titles, and a show the world is talking about
Whatever the outcome: Sunday’s final will be historic – both on and off the pitch. Argentina can write themselves into the history books as one of the teams of all time. Spain can crown a perfect year with the world’s biggest trophy.
And in the middle of it all? A halftime show that challenges everything we thought we knew about the rules of football.
