Liam Gallagher has made his thoughts on Sunday night’s World Cup final half-time show clear after it received a rather mixed review from football fans watching at home.
Football’s showpiece occasion was transformed into an unprecedented entertainment spectacle as the first-ever World Cup final half-time show brought Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Coldplay to the MetLife Stadium pitch during the Spain versus Argentina clash.
The 11-minute performance, crafted by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, pushed the typically 15-minute interval to 27 minutes and 19 seconds.
Madonna opened proceedings aboard a dune buggy driven through the stadium tunnels by Brazilian icons Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, performing her 2000 hit Music over a backing track built around the Trammps’ Disco Inferno.
Justin Bieber co-headlined the World Cup half-time performance
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REUTERSVenezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel then led an orchestra featuring musicians from the US, Venezuela and Iran through the White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army, with Animal from the Muppets joining on drums.
South Korean group BTS followed with a football-themed reworking of Dynamite, before Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt appeared in character as Ted Lasso and Coach Beard to introduce Mr Bieber, who delivered a subdued acoustic rendition of his recent track Everything Hallelujah.
Shakira and Nigerian artist Burna Boy lifted the energy with the tournament’s official anthem Dai Dai, before Coldplay closed alongside the PS22 Chorus from Staten Island and characters from Sesame Street.
Wayne Rooney, working as a BBC pundit alongside Joe Hart and Micah Richards, offered the bluntest assessment.
Madonna came out with Brazilian legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo | REUTERS
When presenter Gabby Logan asked the panel for their highlights, the 40-year-old replied: “I’ll be honest, mine was when it finished.
“I like a lot of them artists but I thought it was c**p. It just didn’t get me going and I wanted the football to come back on.”
Over on ITV, Roy Keane was similarly underwhelmed: “It was a bit of an anti-climax, but I think the people in the stadium probably enjoyed it more than us. But it’s always nice to see Shakira.”
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher added his thoughts on X, sarcastically mocking the routine while simultaneously praising one performer, in particular.
It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) July 19, 2026
“It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge,” the Wonderwall hitmaker penned.
He also described the experience as “like a bad trip” and when one fan suggested Oasis should’ve performed, he replied: “It’s not about us well it is but still it’s absolutely insane behavior it’s cuckoo with a capital K.”
Mr Bieber clearly won over the Champagne Supernova singer, however. Mr Gallagher penned of the Canadian singer: “Justin rules.” (sic)
Fifa president Gianni Infantino had announced plans for the show in March 2025, billing it as “the most significant football match in history” and predicting an audience of “a couple of billion.”
Liam Gallagher wasn’t impressed with the show
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PAThe charitable arm of the event centred on the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to provide education and football opportunities for disadvantaged children worldwide.
The fund had surpassed $60 million before the performance, bolstered by a $1 contribution from every World Cup ticket sold alongside corporate and private donations.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino
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GETTYOrganisers described the show as “the single largest gathering of artists united for a cause since Live Aid.”
However, for many supporters, no amount of philanthropic purpose could justify tampering with the rhythm of a World Cup final, with concerns raised about the extended break’s potential impact on players at the most critical moment of their careers.