Sport is a necessary evil of the NFL’s annual Super Bowl. The event, which somehow takes four hours to resolve four quarters of fifteen minutes, has arguably been eclipsed by everything non-sport-related that happens during its extended runtime. One of those things is, of course, the half-time show.

The concept began innocently enough in the 1960s with a series of marching bands, but the half-time show began to resemble its modern self as early as Super Bowl VI (1972). Singer Ella Fitzgerald starred on that occasion, along with comedian Carol Channing.

American Football

Now, American football doesn’t have a huge following in the UK. There are a fair number of universities with American football teams, like Durham Saints and Liverpool Raptors. A professional league, the BAFA National League Premiership, has eleven teams from England and Scotland (Bristol Aztecs, London Blitz, etc.)

In entertainment, British operator Paddy Power Games has one of the rarer tributes to the game, with Red Zone Blitz Hold & Win, a video slot with football imagery (think helmets and cleats instead of fruits). In terms of shows and documentaries, it seems we don’t have the same range of American Football content that the US does.

The NFL’s officially supported London Games and, previously, the International Series, provide much of the UK’s professional spectacle from the sport. It began in 2007 when the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins played to 81,176 people at Wembley Stadium.

Should the UK ever become enamoured with half-time shows in sport, this is the point where it all began – with pre-shows.

London Games

Rock/pop band The Feeling performed at a pre-show event for the NFL’s International Series in 2007, as part of a brief tradition that would involve Stereophonics, Calvin Harris, emo deities My Chemical Romance, Goo Goo Dolls, and Train over the next five years.

The International Series became the London Games in 2013, introducing a new two-match format. Its musical accompaniment expanded.

Each pre-show featured multiple artists – Tinie Tempah and Ne-Yo in 2013, Def Leppard, Little Mix, and Joss Stone in 2014, and the eclectic combination of Madness and the Ohio State Marching Band the following year.

Following delays at the London Games’ planned new home, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the NFL’s British events moved to Twickenham. Craig David played the pregame in 2016 and Robin Thicke in 2018, with a gap in between.

Something significant happened in 2019, which apparently caught the eye of Coldplay’s Chris Martin and football’s governing body, FIFA. The London Games added a half-time show. Rizzle Kicks played the most recent renewal in 2024.

World Cup

What does Chris Martin have to do with anything? A 15-minute break will feature a musical performance at the 2026 World Cup Final, marking the first time anybody but mascots and groundskeepers have been on the field during half-time.

As the upcoming World Cup is hosted jointly by the US, Canada, and Mexico, it might not be a sign of things to come. Half-time shows are known for overshadowing the Super Bowl itself, though. If somebody wanted to change up the classic football format, say FIFA, there’s no better occasion than on the world stage.