Justin Bieber's turn at the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show has become one of the most talked-about moments of the tournament, for reasons that had nothing to do with the scoreline.
The Canadian pop star took the stage Sunday, July 19, at New York-New Jersey Stadium during the break in Spain's 1-0 win over Argentina, as part of a star-studded lineup that also included Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy and Coldplay. Introduced by "Ted Lasso" stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt in character, Bieber picked up an acoustic guitar and delivered a stripped-down, slowed-tempo version of his song "Everything Hallelujah," tweaking a lyric to reference the tournament.
The choice split the crowd both inside the stadium and online. Coming during a tense, scoreless first half, many viewers felt the mellow ballad sapped the momentum of what was billed as a Super Bowl-style spectacle. Complaints flooded social media, with critics arguing the tempo shift killed the energy right as fans wanted it to build. Some singled out the moment as one of the flatter points in an otherwise well-received show, while others joked the performance nearly put them to sleep.
But Bieber had defenders too. Several fans pushed back on the criticism, praising his vocal control and pointing out that his set was performed live and unplugged, no backing track, framing that as proof of his range as a performer, especially set against more heavily produced acts on the bill. Others said the acoustic moment was a genuine change of pace they enjoyed, calling his voice one of the highlights of the night.
The debate also folded into a broader argument about the halftime show itself, which caused the half time break to run over 27 minutes, the longest in World Cup history, and marked FIFA's first attempt at a Super Bowl-style musical intermission. Some traditionalists questioned whether an extended celebrity concert belongs at a World Cup final at all, while others saw it as a natural step for a tournament increasingly built around global entertainment as much as sport.
Bieber has not addressed the criticism publicly. He was photographed out for dinner in New York with his wife, Hailey Bieber, the day after the final, appearing unbothered by the online chatter.