[Saba Sports News] According to Spanish media reports, the halftime interval for the World Cup final will not exceed 17 minutes. That means the break will only be two minutes longer than the standard halftime length for regular football matches. FIFA has informed the Royal Spanish Football Federation and the Argentine Football Association that the halftime period of the final is capped at 17 minutes. The halftime show featuring Shakira, Madonna Ciccone, Justin Bieber and BTS will take up 11 minutes, a far shorter duration than originally anticipated. Multiple earlier reports had claimed that with such a star-studded lineup, the halftime break would stretch beyond half an hour. FIFA has clarified that the actual length is much shorter than previous rumors, only two minutes over the standard time. The remaining roughly six minutes will be allocated to setting up and dismantling the stage for the live performances, as well as pitch watering. The condition of the grass is another major concern for Spain ahead of the final. During previous matches held at MetLife Stadium, the turf was notably dry, resulting in a slower ball roll than normal.
The editor believes that the hydration breaks remain unchanged. Temperatures have stayed high during most matches of this World Cup, making hydration stoppages a regular occurrence. As usual, there will be two hydration breaks in total across the full match, one in each half, taking place midway through each period of play.