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 debut of Super Bowl-style championship rings for the winners and water breaks during each half.
Taking to X, Gallagher voiced his displeasure over the World Cup halftime show, which featured a host of high-profile artists.
In an initial post, he likened the spectacle to a “bad trip,” although he did not elaborate on what he meant.
He later responded to a fan who suggested Oasis would have been perfect for such a stage.
“It’s not about us, well it is, but still it’s absolutely insane behavior it’s cuckoo with a capital K,” the singer wrote.
Gallagher also admitted the show nearly pushed him over the edge.
“It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on, or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge,” he added.
Justin Bieber Was The One Bright Spot For Gallagher
Despite criticizing the show as a whole, Gallagher appeared to be impressed by Justin Bieber’s performance. The “Baby” singer was a late addition to the World Cup halftime lineup, which also featured global stars including Shakira and BTS.
In a separate post acknowledging Bieber’s appearance, Gallagher simply wrote, “Justin Rules.” He later praised Bieber’s acoustic rendition of “Everything Hallelujah” in the comments of a fan’s post.
The fan wrote, “Who thought Justin Bieber playing some acoustic Hallelujah song was going to slap??”
Gallagher replied, “ME,” making it clear that Bieber’s performance was one of the few parts of the show he genuinely enjoyed.
Netizens Shared Liam Gallagher’s Frustration
Gallagher’s opinion resonated with many fans, who flooded the replies to his posts with similar reactions.
“America certainly knows how to kill a football match. Utter shocker of a half-time,” one fan wrote.
“This is genuinely nonsense. It doesn’t belong in the World Cup. They can have their halftime shows during the Super Bowl,” another user added, referencing the tradition’s American roots.
A third commented, “As an American, I’m sorry. We were all equally embarrassed for halftime.”
One more person wrote, “Nailed it. It’s giving ‘I took the wrong turn and now reality’s glitching’ vibes.”
The Biggest Changes At The 2026 World Cup
Beyond the introduction of a halftime show, the 2026 World Cup featured several significant changes.
The biggest was the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, marking the first World Cup with that format after seven editions featuring 32 nations dating back to 1998.
FIFA also introduced water breaks, a controversial addition that effectively split each match into four periods rather than the traditional two uninterrupted halves.
For the first time in World Cup history, the champions also received bespoke 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 yet to confirm whether the World Cup halftime show will return for the 2030 tournament. It also remains 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 primarily hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
As part of FIFA’s centenary celebrations, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will each stage one commemorative opening match honoring the inaugural 1930 World Cup, which was held in Uruguay. All six host nations will qualify automatically for the tournament, while the remaining places will be decided through the usual qualification process.
Speaking ahead of the 2026 final, however, 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. It’ll take out some of the anger and the shock,” Trump told Jenny Taft of Fox Sports.
