Half-time of World Cup final to run over 15 minutes due to installation job

The installation of the ‌stage for the 11-minute show is expected to take around seven minutes, the sources ‌said, one adding it would 'probably' take ⁠as long ‌to dismantle the equipment and clear the pitch ​before the second half could begin.

FIFA's World Cup regulations state that ​matches are played in accordance with the Laws of the Game set by ⁠the International ​Football Association Board (IFAB), which say players are entitled to a half-time interval "not exceeding 15 minutes."

The tournament regulations themselves, however, say ‌players are entitled to a "15-minute interval" at half-time, without repeating the IFAB wording that the break cannot exceed that duration.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on how long the half-time interval would last or how the planned show would comply with ‌the regulations.

The performance will be the ​first half-time show staged at a ‌World Cup final, adding another element associated with major American sporting events to a tournament already featuring mandatory hydration breaks and, for the first time, ⁠championship rings ⁠for the winners.