World Cup final half-time show cut by FIFA as BBC make major U-turn

FIFA have been forced to cut their controversial World Cup final half-time show after running into issues that would violate the laws of football. Spain and Argentina play out the showpiece international match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, but a host of famous faces from the celebrity world are set to feature on the pitch too.

Not dissimilar to NFL's Super Bowl, FIFA have introduced a half-time show with a host of musical acts, curated by Coldplay's James Martin. Scheduled to perform are Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and K-pop band BTS but only after the governing body were forced to scale back their plans.

Earlier this week, FIFA encountered backlash after reports emerged that the half-time show could run for up to 30 minutes, which would constitute a breach of the International Football Association Board's (IFAB) Laws of the Game.

Under IFAB laws, players are entitled to a half-time interval "not exceeding 15 minutes", with concerns raised that a prolonged break would require both teams to complete fresh warm-ups before returning to the pitch.

However, FIFA has confirmed to both Spain and Argentina that, while it will still breach those laws, the half-time interval will now last a total of 17 minutes, rather than half an hour. The performance itself has been scaled back to fit within an 11-minute slot, with six minutes set aside for the construction and removal of the stage.

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