Wayne Rooney Savages World Cup Final Halftime Show Plans

Wayne Rooney delivered a brutal verdict on the 2026 World Cup final halftime show, branding the much-discussed spectacle “c***” and telling BBC Sport viewers that the “best part was when it ended.”

Spain were crowned 2026 World Cup winners after Ferran Torres struck the decisive goal against Argentina in extra time.

The former England captain, 41, joined a wave of British fans and celebrity viewers who criticised the entertainment break, despite its ambitious blend of music, nostalgia and international star power.

Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and the Muppets were among the high-profile names to perform at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday night.

FIFA’s decision to introduce a halftime show to the biggest match in world football split opinion, with celebrities and supporters sharply divided over whether the concept belonged in a World Cup final.

Speaking with Gaby Logan, Rooney laughed off the star-studded line-up and said his favourite moment came only once the performance was over.

“To be honest, mine was when it finished. I like a lot of those artists but, to be honest, I thought it was c***,” he said.

“I did honestly. It just didn’t get me going. I wanted the football to be back on. It was a bit flat. I like Burna Boy, I like Shakira, I like Bieber, but that was too flat.”

Meanwhile Liam Gallagher savaged ‘This is like a bad trip’, before adding: ‘It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge’.

Elsewhere, Sam Thompson shared his frustration on Instagram, writing: ‘Half time show… absolutely the last thing a football game of this magnitude needed. No one’s in the right headspace now, not even the fans.

‘Imagine the players watching Sesame Street whilst cramping up and needing to warm up again’. 

Roy Keane was also underwhelmed as he said: ‘It was a bit of an anti-climax, but listen, it’s so nice to see Shakira.’

The futuristic segment began with Madonna, 67, singing Music, accompanied by giddy World Cup legends Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho. 

The toned music legend showed off her legs in stockings as she embraced the soccer icons, before they drove her out into the stadium, and held hands. 

Justin Bieber, 32, made a starkly different impact on the crowd as he stepped out with nothing but a guitar to sing a World Cup themed version of his song, Everything Hallelujah.

The star looked relaxed as he casually walked onto the pitch before belting out his hit track, adding the final line, ‘it’s the World Cup, Hallelujah.’

Shakira returned to the World Cup stage as she flaunted her toned abs in a pink and yellow sequined bodysuit to perform her hit Dai Dai, with Burna Boy, while K-pop sensations BTS regaled the crowd with Dynamite.

As well as a halftime show, the World Cup final also included a closing ceremony that featured performances and appearances from Post Malone, Cruise, Nicole Scherzinger, influencer IShowSpeed, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams and Italian singer Laura Pausini.

Stars including Tom Cruise, Timothee Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Matt Damon and Adrien Brody joined the crowds for the final. 

Spanish actor Javier Bardem, skiing legend Lindsey Vonn and actress Julia Garner were also in attendance for the FIFA Gold Carpet event ahead of the final. 

World Cup final day got off to a chaotic start at MetLife Stadium with fans forced to wait for hours outside of the venue amid reports of technological glitches scanning tickets and security staff unsure of how to manage the crowds.

Organizers this week urged fans lucky enough to have a ticket to arrive up to four hours before the start of the game at the 80,000-seater stadium in New Jersey, a short drive outside of Manhattan, for Sunday’s showdown between Spain and Argentina.

As the build-up to the game expected to be watched by billions around the world ramped up, fans were waiting for over four hours to have their tickets scanned in order to enter the stadium for the showpiece game.

The attendance of President Donald Trump meant that airport-style security measures were also being enforced for everyone making their way inside of the venue.

But the delays were compounded amid reports of glitches in FIFA’s ticket-scanning system, meaning those who were fortunate enough to be at the front of the long lines still faced frustrating delays.

The Daily Mail also witnessed tensions simmering between fans, media members and security staff, with officials on the ground telling anyone who complained: ‘Take it up with FIFA’.

The game is set to be the most expensive to attend in the history of sport – on Sunday morning, the cheapest ticket available on most resale websites was starting at around $7,000.

FIFA encouraged fans to arrive early in order to participate in the World Cup closing ceremony, scheduled to begin around 90 minutes before the game itself kicks off.

But it is standard procedure for fans to arrive early for additional security checks whenever Trump attends a sporting event – and he has made it to plenty in his second term as President, ranging from the Ryder Cup to the Super Bowl.

Even on the live television coverage, the stadium was bare with a little over an hour until that closing ceremony began.

Soccer greats such as Brazil World Cup winner Ronaldo, former England captain John Terry and former Argentina player Diego Simeone all appeared carefree as they entered the stadium in good time before the game.

There were plenty of fans who were determined not to let the chaos ruin their day, too. Thousands of Argentina fans have made the journey to the stadium for what will likely be star man Lionel Messi’s last ever appearance in a World Cup at the age of 39.

Argentina are narrow underdogs against Spain, the European champions, despite being the holders after winning the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Trump is expected to hand the World Cup trophy over to the winning team after the game.