MICHAEL OLISE STOPPED FROM CELEBRATING FRANCE GOAL DUE TO LITTLE-KNOWN FIFA RULE

France cruised through their World Cup semi-final against Morocco in Boston.

France claimed a place in the World Cup semi-finals on Thursday with a straightforward quarter-final win over Morocco.

Les Bleus won 2-0 in Boston thanks to two goals in seven minutes in the second half of a match they dominated from start to finish.

Captain Kylian Mbappe curled in the first after seeing his earlier penalty saved by Bono in the first half. The Moroccan goalkeeper couldn't then keep out the Ousmane Dembele shot that doubled the lead.

France will now face Spain or Belgium in the World Cup's first semi-final in Dallas on Tuesday and are just 90 minutes away from a third consecutive World Cup final.

Their second goal against Morocco sparked joyous celebrations on the touchline but one player was notably unable to join in.

Fans noticed that Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, one of France's star performers under Didier Deschamps this summer, was prevented from joining the mint-green huddle by substitute goalkeeper Brice Samba.

The Rennes man's quick thinking might have made all the difference and revealed his knowledge of the first clause of Law 8 in the Laws of the Game.

Law 8 states that: "For every kick-off, all players, except for the player taking the kick-off, must be in their own half of the field of play."

That only applies to players on the pitch. With no players in the opposition half to actively prevent the restart, France would have fulfilled the requirements of a kick-off and Morocco would have been permitted to get the game back underway without a single French player in their way.

By stopping Olise's charge towards the celebrating pack, Samba ensured that 'all players' were not in their own half and thus denied Morocco the right to crack on unhindered and halve the deficit with more than 20 minutes left on the clock.

Staying switched-on to that possibility is something France have demonstrated before.

A similar incident involving France unfolded in the 2022 World Cup final, when Dayot Upamecano was shoved back onto the pitch by Theo Hernandez after one of Mbappe's goals.

Mbappe scored three times in the final four years ago but France were beaten on penalties by Argentina, potential final opponents again in the current tournament.

Kylian Mbappe is tearing it up in front of goal

Les Bleus won their second World Cup in Russia in 2018, a success that made Didier Deschamps one of the just three men to win the World Cup both as a player and as manager.

They beat Morocco in the semi-finals in 2022 and made short work of them again in Boston on Wednesday.

Mbappe and his team are flying. His goal against the Atlas Lions was his 20th in 20 World Cup matches, putting him one goal behind record scorer Lionel Messi.

The Argentina captain's goals have been scored at a slower rate and Mbappe's rise to the top of the pile now seems inevitable.

Like Messi, Mbappe has eight goals in the 2026 tournament. His strikes against Senegal, Iraq, Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco have put both the captain and his team within reach of history.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

- Chris Nee

FOOTBALL ⚽️ MEME | PEANUTS | SNOOPY

 

⚽ This Peanuts comic strip was published on January 8, 1999.

CANELO ALVAREZ VS. LUCIANO CUELLO: THE 2010 WIN THAT MOVED CANELO TOWARD A WORLD TITLE

Long before he became boxing’s biggest attraction and a four-weight world champion, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez took another significant step toward the top on July 10, 2010.

Fighting before his home fans at Arena VFG in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, the unbeaten 19-year-old stopped Argentina’s Luciano Leonel Cuello in six rounds to capture the vacant WBC Silver junior middleweight title. While not a full world championship, the belt carried importance at the time, helping position Alvarez for bigger opportunities in one of boxing’s deepest divisions.

Canelo (32-0-1, 26 KOs) entered the fight unbeaten and had quickly become one of boxing’s most closely watched teenage prospects.

Cuello (26-1, 10 KOs) arrived as a respected Argentine contender who had never been stopped and viewed the fight as the biggest opportunity of his career.

The contest represented another step up in opposition for Canelo. It offered another opportunity to prove he belonged among the division’s top young contenders. Cuello, meanwhile, had the chance to score the biggest victory of his career.

From the opening bell, the difference in power was obvious. Late in the first round, Alvarez uncorked a perfectly timed left hook that dropped Cuello heavily to the canvas. The Argentine beat the count and fought back with determination, but he immediately found himself dealing with Alvarez’s heavier hands, accurate counterpunching, and growing confidence.

The punishment continued to build as Canelo found openings with both hands, landing hard to the ribs before bringing his attack back upstairs.

His trademark body punching was already becoming a major weapon, and whenever Cuello tried to stand his ground, Alvarez answered with crisp combinations that repeatedly forced him backward.

Cuello refused to look for a way out. Whenever Cuello tried to apply pressure, Canelo answered with crisp combinations that quickly halted his advances. By the fifth round, the punishment was beginning to accumulate.

Cuello’s face showed the effects of the sustained attack, and Alvarez continued finding openings with right hands upstairs before digging hooks into the body whenever his opponent reached the ropes.

The end came in the sixth round. Alvarez trapped Cuello against the ropes and unleashed another sustained barrage of punches. With Cuello no longer returning meaningful offense and taking repeated clean shots, referee Jose Cobian stepped in at 1:22 of Round 6 to wave off the contest.

The victory improved Alvarez’s record to 33-0-1 and earned him the vacant WBC Silver title, another milestone in a rapid climb through the junior middleweight ranks.

The performance also reinforced what many observers had begun to believe: Alvarez possessed the combination of patience, power and composure needed to compete with the division’s elite despite still being a teenager.

Just over four months later, Alvarez defeated Lovemore N’dou to win the WBC junior middleweight world title, beginning the first championship reign of a career that would eventually see him capture world titles at junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight while becoming one of boxing’s biggest global stars.

The loss for Cuello dropped him to 26-2. He continued boxing professionally and later won regional titles, but the defeat served as a reminder of the gulf between a solid contender and a future pound-for-pound great.

Looking back, Alvarez’s demolition of Cuello was more than another prospect victory. It was one of the performances that signaled Mexican boxing had found its next superstar.

- Michael Collins

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LEBRON JAMES ACCUSED OF USING WARRIORS FOR LEVERAGE

Getty

Popular NBA pundit Bill Simmons made a claim that LeBron James never viewed the Golden State Warriors as a legitimate option and used them for leverage. Golden State appeared to be the favorite when LeBron announced that he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers to join another team in free agency. Things have quickly changed with the Cleveland Cavaliers now emerging as the strong favorites.

Simmons vowed that James to Cleveland was a done deal and referenced the Warriors being used for leverage:

“Another thing that happened to Golden State – I think they thought they were getting LeBron and potentially Anthony Davis. And now it’s pretty clear now they were being used as leverage as LeBron goes back to Cleveland. The Cleveland thing’s done.”

Golden State had confidence during the first few days of free agency and still are operating under the belief that they have a serious chance to land LeBron. Unfortunately for Warriors fans, one thing to back up Simmons’ is new reports that Golden State doesn’t have any confidence as it currently stands.

Most people and teams around the league are fully expecting James to sign with Cleveland. Simmons has a lot of things working in his favor to back up his otherwise bold claims about LeBron.

Why LeBron James “Used” Golden State Warriors

Simmons’ co-host Zach Lowe questioned why exactly LeBron would use another team for leverage during this conversation. No answer was formally given by Simmons, but he made sure to state that he doesn’t believe Golden State ever had a realistic chance.

LeBron could have used the Warriors interest to make himself the top story of the NBA landscape again. Earlier offseason stories saw names like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard bigger stories since they were fully expected to get traded, while James was originally expected to stay with the Lakers.

Everything became about LeBron when the rumors started circulating about Golden State being the favorites. Simmons even stated that he felt bad for Warriors fans since the James hubbub led to them believing they could add both LeBron and Davis just a few weeks ago. Now it seems like they may not be able to add any new players to the roster after most names were already acquired.

Golden State Warriors Went All In On LeBron

Golden State deserves more blame than LeBron if Simmons is indeed telling the truth. The Warriors have treated this offseason as if they have no real backup plans if James doesn’t sign there.

Trey Murphy has been considered one of the few other names that Golden State wanted to trade for, but it has become impossible. The New Orleans Pelicans wanted four first round draft picks at the height of trades, and they now appear to want to keep him for next season.

General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. failed to go after any realistic names and put all his faith in a 41-year-old looking to end his career in the ideal situation. Warriors fans expected big moves especially since the team is expected to miss injured Jimmy Butler for at least half of the season.

- Joey Haverford

FOOTIE ARREST | FORMER ARSENAL & MAN CITY STAR SAMIR NASRI 'ARRESTED AS PART OF MONEY LAUNDERING PROBE INTO DRUG TRAFFICKER "WILD BOAR"

FORMER Arsenal and Manchester City star Samir Nasri has reportedly been arrested as part of a money laundering probe linked to the drug trafficking kingpin “Wild Boar”.

The former Premier League footballer was caught up in a sprawling police investigation surrounding alleged links to the criminal network of the jailed Marseille trafficker.

Ex-Manchester City star Samir Nasri has reportedly been arrested as part of a money laundering probe connected to drug traffickingCredit: PA:Press Association

The former Premier League footballer was caught up in a sprawling investigationCredit: Getty

Nasri, who now works as a pundit for French TV channel Canal Plus, was grilled for around ten hours on Thursday by cops, Le Parisien reports.

Questioning formed part of a major investigation into suspected drug importation, criminal conspiracy and organised money laundering of drug trafficking proceeds.

The football star, 39, was released Thursday evening without charge and no legal proceedings have been launched against him.

Investigators are probing alleged links between Nasri and a criminal network surrounding Hakim Berrebouh nicknamed “Wild Boar,” a drug trafficker who has been imprisoned since 2021.

The explosive case also names Olivier Sabbah, known as “Paulo”, who is presented as one of the alleged pillars of a money laundering network connected to Berrebouh’s criminal activities.

Police are reportedly examining Nasri’s alleged involvement in the “organised money laundering” aspect of the case through XS nightclub in Ivry-sur-Seine, Val-de-Marne.

Nasri became a shareholder in the venue around 2016 after reportedly investing a few hundred thousand euros while he was earning millions at Manchester City.

The ex-France midfielder later became co-owner of the nightclub alongside Bilele Z., described as one of his loyal clients, who was also placed in police custody on Thursday.

Nasri was grilled for around ten hours by copsCredit: Graham Hughes – The Times

Nasri now works as a pundit for French TV channel Canal PlusCredit: Getty

The shocking investigation has focused on the years between 2021 and 2023, with detectives examining claims that large amounts of cash were taken from the venue.

According to evidence gathered during the preliminary investigation, Berrebouh’s wife allegedly visited the nightclub several times to withdraw large sums of money while her husband was behind bars.

Nasri’s alleged connection to the Berrebouh family stretches back to his childhood in Marseille, where he was reportedly close to Karim’s older brother.

The former France international, who earned 41 caps between 2007 and 2013, is said to have reconnected with Berrebouh in Dubai during the first lockdown in 2020.

Investigators claim Berrebouh later suggested that Nasri take a financial stake in XS, but the agreement allegedly remained verbal and was never formally recorded.

During his police custody, Nasri reportedly maintained that he believed he had sold all his shares in the nightclub to Berrebouh.

The latest police grilling came after Nasri was already questioned in Marseille in late June as part of the same sweeping investigation.

The former Les Bleus star could face further questioning over a potential formal indictment, despite currently facing no charges.

His lawyer, Saïd Harir, declined to comment when approached.

- Jeylin Mehmet

WORLD CUP RED-CARD DECISION FOR BALOGUN, QUANSAH RAISE QUEATIONS AMONG EX-FIFA REFEREES

England's Jarell Quansah, U.S. striker Folarin Balogun get different fates after respective red cards

Folarin Balogun, right, of the United States fouls Bosnia's Tarik Muharemović, resulting in a red card for Balogun during their World Cup soccer match in California on July 1. (Jeff Chiu/The Associated Press)

FIFA's handling of two World Cup red-card cases came under renewed scrutiny on Thursday after England defender Jarell Quansah got a two-match suspension while U.S. striker Folarin Balogun avoided an immediate ban for a similar challenge.

That has left former international referees unable to reconcile the ‌two decisions.

Quansah was sent off in England's last round-of-16 victory over Mexico after a video review deemed his sliding studs-up challenge serious foul play. He was later handed a two-match ban that England's Football Association said it could not appeal.

Balogun, by contrast, was sent off during the United States' round-of-32 win over Bosnia but received a one-match suspension that world soccer's governing body FIFA later suspended.

Balogun's ban was suspended on probation for one year under Article 27 of the disciplinary code, FIFA said, although it has not publicly explained why it considered that sanction appropriate in his case.

The fact that U.S. President Donald Trump had personally urged FIFA President ⁠Gianni Infantino to review Balogun's ⁠case only intensified the controversy, even though FIFA insisted the ‌conversation played no part in its decision.

"FIFA have failed in their duty towards the game after they delayed the ban for Balogun. They allowed outside interference by the president," former referee Keith Hackett wrote on social media on Thursday.

"FIFA the major lawmaker are at fault. But both players committed Serious ⁠Foul Play challenges sanctioned by a red card."

'More important always is consistency'

Jonas Eriksson, who was a FIFA referee for 16 years from 2002, said if Balogun got a one-match suspension, Quansah should have as well, seeing their two on-field incidents were roughly equal in ‌terms of intensity and aggression.

"What everyone wants from referees, they want the correct decisions, yes, but more important always is consistency," Eriksson said.

"That you identify, OK, player A gets the same sanction as player B. Team A gets the same sanction as team B. You know, that's what you expect. And this is not the case when it comes to Quansah and Balogun."

Quansah leaves the field after receiving a red card during the World Cup match between Mexico and England in Mexico City on Sunday. (Ricardo Mazalan/The Associated Press)

British media quickly drew comparisons between the two cases, with The Independent running the headline: "FIFA ⁠confirms Jarell Quansah ban just days after Folarin Balogun reprieve."

Eriksson said the subsequent suspension of Balogun's match ban was ⁠never adequately explained, contributing to the furor.

Belgium unsuccessfully challenged Balogun's eligibility before their round-of-16 victory over the U.S., ⁠but ⁠FIFA has still not publicly explained why it decided to suspend the striker's ban under Article 27.

"If you're not able to communicate how they interpret the situation — was it an incorrect decision of the ⁠referee or was it the wrong application of the laws of the game — we don't know," said Eriksson, whose book House of Cards explores the "dirty game behind the game" for FIFA referees.

"It's just for you and me and for everybody else to guess. But with that in mind, the red card for Quansah and the suspension is for me, just, it's a mystery."

- Thompson Reuters 

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BRUNO GUIMARÄES IN HIGH-LEVEL TALKS AS ARSENAL WEIGH UP OTHER TARGETS AMID NEWCASTLE DECISION

Newcastle United have been rocked by a suggestion Bruno Guimaraes wants to leave the club this summer

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 05: Bruno Guimaraes (l) and Sandro Tonali react during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Newcastle United FC and Athletic Club at St James' Park on November 05, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Newcastle United will stick to their guns if Bruno Guimaraes decides to hand in an official transfer request - with the Sandro Tonali sale an example of the club's sale policy.

Tottenham Hotspur did not want to pay £100m for the Italy international and were irked by Newcastle's stubborn stance on the deal. And Chronicle Live understands that Newcastle won't be prepared to do any business that isn't on their terms, with Arsenal yet to make an official approach for the Toon skipper.

Guimaraes is taking some time after his World Cup exit but remains in conversation with his representatives. Here's how things stand in the respective camps in the aftermath of news Bruno is considering his future:

Newcastle United's stance

The Brazil international is not for sale and one well-placed source suggested recently that even if an email dropped with the subject reading "Bruno offer", it would not be opened as the skipper is deemed as a vital cog in the wheel at St James' Park.

However, as of the close of play yesterday, the club had not received any type of official offer for the player's services. CEO David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson aren't naive and know that there is interest being drummed up by third parties and those close to the player's agency, but as things stand, there is no question to answer, although that is likely to change.

Arsenal's stance

The Gunners have an interest in Bruno and a decision was made behind the scenes at Arsenal that of the two Newcastle midfielders with uncertain futures out of the Brazilian and Sandro Tonali, the South American was their pick.

Like Newcastle, Arsenal have their own ideas on valuation, and the conversation on Bruno with intermediaries and dealmakers is understood to have begun at £45m. That was dismissed immediately by those at the other end when it was put to them verbally.

The suggestion was that it would take a bid north of £60m for Bruno, but Arsenal may not be willing to meet that. Of course, it is all transfer brinkmanship and negotiation tactics, but the Gunners' case on the player is that he is 29 on his next birthday and his value is only going to go down.

One source at the Arsenal end has suggested that the Gunners may drop the idea if it becomes too expensive for their liking and move on to another target. Bournemouth star Alex Scott and Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi have been linked also.

Newcastle's dilemma could be if Arsenal do offer £60m, Bruno makes it clear he wants the move and pressure builds from the agency.

The Bruno camp

Bruno is represented by Bertolucci Sports, which is headed by Sao Paulo super agent Giuliano Bertolucci.

His close pal and representative on Tyneside is Alexis Malavolta, who runs the day-to-day life of Guimaraes, but the Arsenal situation, deemed transfer poker by industry insiders, could now be above Malavolta's head and be in the hands of Bertolucci and his legal team.

When the story that Bruno wanted to quit emerged last night, there was a suggestion from somebody close to the player's camp that the midfielder had not told anybody he wanted to leave.

What has been said, according to those on the inside at Arsenal, is that Bruno is concerned about the sporting project at Newcastle and the exits of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and Tonali to Spurs are understandably making him wonder.

He left the World Cup having missed a penalty against Norway in the last 16 and while the player is emotional, it should have no bearing on how he feels about his future.

- Lee Ryder

BREAKING: MANCHESTER UNITED GIVE OLD TRAFFORD UPDATE AS THEY REVEAL SITE FOR NEW STADIUM

Man Utd have confirmed where the club's new stadium will be built as part of the latest milestone on the way to having a 100,000-seater home.

The location of the new Manchester United stadium has been revealed

Manchester United have confirmed the club's new 100,000-seater stadium will be built on land recently purchased from Indurent located around 350 metres away from Old Trafford.

United confirmed the location for the new stadium on Tuesday at the Wharfside Strategic Masterplan and although the stadium won't be built on land currently attached to Old Trafford, they insist it will honour the current ground's history and traditions.

The new ground will be the centrepiece of what is being called a Stadium District, which will be purpose-built for sport, entertainment and year-round activity, with the new stadium serving as the flagship landmark of the wider Trafford Wharfside development.

The masterplan sets out a bold vision for Trafford Wharfside, including new and improved public transport links, enhanced rail connectivity, and extensive walking and cycling infrastructure. The vision is for a diverse neighbourhood creating 48,000 local jobs and 15,000 new homes, with the new stadium acting as the catalyst. It is estimated it could offer a £7.3bn per year boost to the UK economy.

Collette Roche, CEO of the new stadium development, said: “The publication of the Wharfside Masterplan marks another significant milestone in our journey to create a new world-class home for Manchester United at the heart of a vibrant and transformational district for Trafford and Greater Manchester. Together with our partners, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver a destination that creates lasting benefits for supporters, local communities and the wider region for decades to come.

“The proposed stadium site is ideally located alongside Old Trafford, enabling us to preserve the heritage, traditions and matchday rituals that are so important to our supporters, while also providing the connectivity and infrastructure required to deliver a truly world-class fan experience.

“We are committed to building a world-class stadium with our supporters, not simply for them. Atmosphere, affordability and accessibility will remain at the heart of our plans, and we look forward to continuing our engagement with fans and other stakeholders as we move into the next phase of design and development.”

Coun Tom Ross, leader of Trafford council, added: “We are delighted to introduce the masterplan which starts a long journey to piece together what could happen where, to bring this world-class cultural and sporting destination to life.

“We want to create a great place to be, not just on matchdays but every day – and we’re looking for as many residents and businesses as possible to help us to shape this vision, through our forthcoming consultation process.

“Wharfside will become a network of attractive neighbourhoods in which to live, work, wander, explore, relax with family, enjoy nature and wildlife, meet friends, eat out, have a drink, shop and be entertained.

“It will have the best of parks and waterside spaces, housing including affordable options in vibrant and diverse localities, new health and educational facilities, joined up public transport and places to walk, cycle and be active.”

- Tyrone Marshall

HIP-HOP STAR CARDI B AND NIGERIAN FOOTBALL STAR WHO PLAYS FOR SERIE A SIDE UDINESE MADUKA OKOYE SEEM TO HAVE A LOVE CHEMISTRY

 

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NEW WORLD CUP CLIP SHOWS EGYPT COACH SCREAMING IN SCALONU'S FACE AS ARGENTINA BOSS REFUSES TO REACT AFTER VAR STORM

The footage adds another chapter to one of the tournament's most controversial matches.

The controversy surrounding Argentina's dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup continues to produce fresh flashpoints. A day after the VAR decisions in Atlanta sparked accusations of bias and prompted an official complaint from the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), a fresh video surfaced on social media showing just how heated emotions remained after the final whistle.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan looks dejected after the match following their elimination from the World Cup (REUTERS)

In the clip, which quickly went viral, furious members of Egypt's coaching staff are seen confronting match officials inside the tunnel after the game. Moments later, as Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni walked towards the dressing room at Atlanta Stadium, Egypt boss Hossam Hassan appeared to scream animatedly in his direction. Scaloni, however, simply walked past without engaging, barely acknowledging the confrontation.

The footage adds another chapter to 🕐 of the tournament's most controversial matches. Argentina recovered from 2-0 down to score three goals in the final 13 minutes and book their place in the quarterfinals, but the refereeing decisions have continued to dominate the post-match narrative.

What happened?

Egypt thought they had doubled their lead in the 58th minute when Mostafa Ziko finished off a brilliant counterattack after excellent work from Mohamed Salah. However, VAR intervened and ruled out the goal for a foul by Marwan Attia on Lisandro Martínez nearly 100 yards from the Argentina goal during the attacking build-up.

While the decision left Egypt furious, what angered them even more was the perceived inconsistency in the use of VAR. Moments before Enzo Fernández scored Argentina's winner, Egypt appealed for a penalty after Salah went down inside the box following slight contact on his boot, but the incident was not reviewed.

After the match, Ziko vented his frustration while speaking to TSN through a translator.

"It was not fair from the referee. It was really not fair. That was very clear. He wasted all of our efforts with his decisions. We were leading 2-0 and we could do nothing. It's all up to God.

"We are so sorry. We wanted to make you all happy. It was not on the cards. It was the referee. Congratulations to Argentina on the second Cup."

Egypt's protests did not end there. On Wednesday, the Egyptian Football Association lodged an official complaint with FIFA against referee François Letexier and his officiating team, reportedly seeking explanations for the controversial decisions, calling for an investigation into the match, and requesting that the French referee be removed from the remainder of the World Cup.

- Aratrick Mondal

JUSTIN BIEBER IS JOINING FIRST-EVER WORLD CUP FINAL HALF-TIME SHOW

Bieber is co-headlining the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show, joining Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and more

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

FIFA officially has Bieber fever.

The World Cup governing body and the action platform Global Citizen announced July 8 that Justin Bieber will co-headline the World Cup final halftime show on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium. He'll share the stage with Madonna, Shakira, and BTS in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

The 11-minute show will also feature Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus, the Staten Island elementary school choir, performing alongside Coldplay. The show is also set to feature Sesame Street characters, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, and other Muppets, as part of the broadcast's education-focused message. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin is curating the performance.

"The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can," Bieber said in a statement. "I'm grateful to be part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful knowing it's already helping expand access to education for children around the world."

The halftime show is the first of its kind in FIFA World Cup history. While major soccer events often include opening ceremonies or pre-match performances, FIFA is introducing a halftime performance for this year's final.

The show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising $100 million to expand access to education and soccer for children worldwide. According to Global Citizen, the fund has already raised more than $50 million. Throughout the tournament, $1 from every ticket sold to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches is being donated to the fund.

Bieber's addition expands a lineup that already included several major global artists. Madonna, Shakira, and BTS were previously announced as headliners for the show back in May, while Burna Boy brings another connection to the tournament through "Dai Dai," the official song of the 2026 World Cup, which he performs with Shakira.

"The FIFA World Cup is one of the few moments that truly brings the entire world together," Burna Boy said in a statement. "To represent Africa on the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show is a privilege and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly."

The announcement has not been universally embraced, especially among soccer fans who already feel this World Cup has been "Americanized," especially with the addition of brand-sponsored hydration breaks that interrupt the usual rhythm of matches. Adding a Super Bowl-style performance in the middle of the New Jersey final feels, to some, like another step in that direction.

- Olivia Tauber

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BELGIUM MEME 🤣 | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026