Liam Gallagher has joined the growing list of football figures and fans unhappy with the introduction of a World Cup halftime show.
The Oasis frontman shared his disappointment in a series of posts on X, although he appeared to spare Justin Bieber’s performance from his criticism.
The halftime show represented one of the biggest changes introduced at the 2026 World Cup, alongside the launch of Super Bowl-style championship rings for winners and water breaks at each half.
Liam Gallagher calls World Cup halftime show ‘crazy’
Speaking to X, Gallagher expressed his displeasure with the World Cup half-time show, which featured a host of top performers.
In a first message, he compared the show to a “bad trip”, without specifying what he meant.
He then responded to a fan who suggested Oasis would have been perfect for such a scene.
“It’s not about us, well that’s true, but it’s still absolutely insane behavior, it’s cuckoo with a capital K,” the singer wrote.
Gallagher also admitted that the series almost pushed him over the edge.
“It’s a good job I put my spiritual socks on, otherwise the halftime entertainment might have tipped me over,” he added.
Justin Bieber was the only bright spot for Gallagher
Although he was critical of the show as a whole, Gallagher seemed impressed by Justin Bieber’s performance. The “Baby” singer was a late addition to the World Cup halftime lineup, which also included global stars such as Shakira and BTS.
In another post acknowledging Bieber’s appearance, Gallagher simply wrote: “Justin Rules.” He then praised Bieber’s acoustic rendition of “Everything Hallelujah” in the comments of a fan’s post.
The fan wrote: “Who knew Justin Bieber playing an acoustic Hallelujah song was going to slap??”
Gallagher responded, “ME,” making it clear that Bieber’s performance was one of the few parts of the show he actually enjoyed.
Gallagher’s opinion resonated with many fans, who flooded replies to his posts with similar reactions.
“America sure knows how to kill a football game. A real halftime shocker,” one fan wrote.
“This is really absurd. This has no place in the World Cup. They can have their halftime shows during the Super Bowl,” another user added, referring to the tradition’s American roots.
A third commented: “As an American, I’m sorry. We were all equally embarrassed at halftime.”
Another person wrote: “I did it. It makes it feel like ‘I took the wrong path and now reality problems’.”
The biggest changes at the 2026 World Cup
Beyond the introduction of a halftime show, the 2026 World Cup has seen several significant changes.
The most significant was the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, marking the first World Cup with this format after seven editions bringing together 32 nations dating back to 1998.
FIFA also introduced water breaks, a controversial addition that effectively divides each match into four periods rather than the traditional two uninterrupted halves.
For the first time in World Cup history, the champions also received custom-made championship rings. Each ring was individually numbered and custom fitted, featuring the FIFA World Cup trophy on one side and personalized details reflecting the winning nation on the other.
Will the halftime show return in 2030?
FIFA has not yet confirmed whether the World Cup halftime show will return for the 2030 tournament. It is also unclear whether the bespoke championship rings introduced in 2026 will become a permanent feature.
What is already confirmed is that the 2030 World Cup will be mainly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
As part of FIFA’s centenary celebrations, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each host a commemorative opening match in honor of the first World Cup in 1930, which took place in Uruguay. The six host nations will automatically qualify for the tournament, while the remaining places will be decided through the usual qualification process.
However, ahead of the 2026 finale, Trump presented a different proposal. “I had a great idea for Gianni: You have to do two countries. Announce us again next time, and then announce another country after that. That will take away some of the anger and shock,” Trump told Fox Sports’ Jenny Taft.