According to the report, FIFA’s planned “mid-match show” could last up to 30 minutes.
Read more New numbers on gas station boards: how prices changed on Wednesday
“The Athletic” reports a slightly shorter performance by music stars – 20 minutes. BBC – 25 minutes.
All these numbers are longer than allowed by the official rules, which state that the main break should last 15 minutes.
However, FIFA has already violated this rule when it also held a “mid-match show” lasting 24 minutes during last year’s Club World Cup final held in the United States.
“It seems that FIFA is on a kind of mission – to Americanize football into soccer,” jokes Jason Burt, a journalist working at the World Cup for “The Telegraph.” “Football is simply being changed before our eyes and we are doing it without any consultations.”
“Refreshment breaks (or so-called commercial breaks) – whether needed or not – have already split the match into four quarters. Now the halftime break is also being extended, completely disregarding the fact that the risk of player injuries may increase. Footballers are not used to taking such breaks,” the mentioned commentator continued.
Read more European Commission President visiting Ukraine announced an agreement on drone production
Criticism is also harsh from the Spanish media, whose team has already reached the World Cup final.
“A controversial FIFA decision,” writes “Mundo Deportivo.”
“It is a copy of the American football final ‘Super Bowl,’ which received heavy criticism from London’s Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain clubs, who played in last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final,” notes “Cadena SER.”
FIFA has already confirmed that music superstars such as Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Coldplay will appear in the “mid-match show” program.
The final, where Spain will face Argentina or England, will take place this Sunday at 10 p.m. (Lithuanian time) at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Read more The Croatian resort, fed up with tourists, was the first in the country to take special measures
Follow the schedule, statistics, highlights, and shows on this page!
