#4 — The Muppets: the cute (and deliberate) detail
Here's an element that seems like a joke, but has a purpose. The show will feature the Muppets and Sesame Street characters — Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the gang, part of Disney.
Why Muppets at a World Cup final? Because the whole show has a children's-education goal, and the Muppets have been, for generations, symbols of playful learning for kids worldwide. Their presence reinforces the spectacle's mission: ensuring access to education. It's cute and strategic at the same time.
Three to go. And #1 is the detail that slipped past everyone.
#3 — The cause: why nobody gets a fee
Here's the heart of the show. Just like at the Super Bowl, none of the artists get a fee — Madonna, Shakira, and BTS donate their participation. The sources (The Athletic) confirm: the money goes to the FIFA-Global Citizen Education Fund.
The goal is to raise $100 million to bring education and soccer to children in more than 200 countries. And there's a concrete mechanism: $1 from every ticket sold for the World Cup is donated to the fund. The show isn't just entertainment — it's a fundraising machine with a purpose.
#2 — The British controversy: the TV that may not air it
Not everyone is excited. British broadcasters BBC and ITV, which air the World Cup in the U.K., are considering not showing the halftime show live.
The reason? Tradition. They usually use halftime for pundit analysis of the first half, and may keep that format, pushing the show to digital platforms. It's a curious culture clash: while the U.S. treats halftime as a spectacle, the U.K. sees it as time for tactical analysis. There's also an unknown: FIFA hasn't confirmed the exact duration (estimated at 11 minutes, in a break that's normally 15).
And now #1 — the detail almost nobody noticed.