[AP]
[AP]

Football fans around the world are fuming over what many see as the Americanization of the World Cup final — the sport's most sacred occasion — as organizers transform the showpiece match into a US-style entertainment spectacle, bending long-standing rules in the process.

According to foreign media including the BBC on Friday, the official program for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final, to be held Monday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will include a performance of the United States national anthem.

In all international matches, including every previous World Cup final, only the anthems of the two competing nations are played — a tradition that has never been broken. Yet at this final, where Argentina and Spain will contest the trophy, the US anthem will be performed immediately before kickoff simply because the country is a co-host. Pop star Jennifer Hudson has been tapped to sing it. No such provision has been made for fellow co-hosts Mexico and Canada.

The bigger controversy, however, is the sheer scale of the halftime show — widely seen as a wholesale imitation of the Super Bowl, the NFL's championship game.

Organizers have confirmed a halftime lineup headlined by BTS and Shakira, alongside global pop stars Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini and Nicole Scherzinger. Hollywood actor Tom Cruise and mega-influencer IShowSpeed are also set to appear, adding further spectacle to the occasion.

Critics argue that the extravaganza comes at the cost of the game itself. Football is a sport in which players manage their physical condition and tactical rhythm across 90 minutes, and the halftime break is meant to be a focused recovery period. To accommodate the massive stage setup and performance time, organizers have nearly doubled the standard 15-minute halftime interval to 25 or 26 minutes — raising concerns that the extended break could disrupt players' physical and tactical momentum.


shee@heraldcorp.com