Liam Gallagher Slams FIFA World Cup Halftime Show as 'A Bad Trip'

Liam Gallagher, the iconic Oasis frontman, delivered a remarkably blunt critique of FIFA's inaugural World Cup final halftime show. Reacting on X during the Sunday, July 19th event at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Gallagher described the star-studded performance as "like a bad trip." He followed up with another post, quipping that he was glad to have his "spiritual socks on or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge."

This 11-and-a-half-minute spectacle marked a significant first for FIFA, as it was the very first halftime performance ever staged during a World Cup final. The elaborate production was curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin and featured an impressive roster of global music superstars and cultural icons.

The show commenced with Madonna, who opened with her 2000 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, "Music." Following her performance, the stage welcomed K-pop sensation BTS, who delivered their global hit "Dynamite," and Justin Bieber, who offered an acoustic rendition of "Everything Hallelujah." Latin pop superstar Shakira and Nigerian artist Burna Boy performed "Dai Dai," the official World Cup song and a current Billboard Global 200 chart-topper. Further adding to the diverse musical tapestry, Gustavo Dudamel conducted musicians from the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela through a unique rendition of The White Stripes’ "Seven Nation Army." The event concluded with a grand finale featuring the PS22 Chorus, Chris Martin, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and other performers, all gathered around a giant "LOVE" stage formation amidst a display of fireworks.

This groundbreaking halftime show introduced one of the most music-heavy moments in the history of World Cup finals, strategically placing a major entertainment production in the middle of the tournament's deciding match. It notably brought FIFA closer to adopting an entertainment model long associated with the American Super Bowl, where large-scale pop performances are an integral part of the broadcast spectacle. Gallagher's candid reaction comes at a time when Oasis has recently returned to stadium-scale performances with their OASIS LIVE ’25 tour, spanning multiple continents. The band's music, particularly tracks like "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger," has long been embedded in football culture, becoming cherished crowd anthems far beyond traditional rock audiences.