World Cup: ‘It was crap’ – Wayne Rooney slams FIFA over 30 minutes halftime break

Former England striker, Wayne Rooney, has slammed the football governing body, FIFA, over the extended halftime break in the final of the 2026 World Cup.

He was not impressed with the performances of all the artists during the half-time show In the game between Argentina and Spain, held in New Jersey on Sunday.

After a goalless first half, in which La Roja controlled the game without scoring, attention turned to a nearly 30-minute half-time show featuring artists such as Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Burna Boy.

According to IFAB regulations, half-time should not exceed 15 minutes; however, the break on Sunday lasted almost twice that duration. 

Rooney shared his opinions on the performances, stating as reported by Utd Report, “My favourite bit of the half time show was when it finished. … I like all of them artists, but I thought it was crap.” 

In addition to the previously mentioned artists, the half-time show also included Brazilian legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, actor Jason Sudeikis from Ted Lasso, and Muppets characters Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, as noted by Yahoo Sports.

It is important to mention that the 2026 final commenced six minutes late due to performances by Robbie Williams and Jennifer Hudson, along with speeches from Hollywood actor Tom Cruise and announcers Michael and Bruce Buffer.