Gareth Cliff Shares His Brutal Review of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Halftime Show, Mzansi Reacts
- Gareth Cliff finally weighed in on the 2026 FIFA World Cup halftime show held on 19 July 2026 at New York-New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
- The radio personality questioned the performances and production quality, singling out moments involving Madonna, Justin Bieber and Tom Cruise
- Public reactions to Cliff's comments reveal a divided opinion on the halftime show's quality
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South African radio personality Gareth Cliff has shared his strong reaction to the FIFA World Cup halftime show, calling it a major disappointment. Although Cliff joined the conversation days after the spectacle aired, he made it clear that he had plenty to say about the event that sparked debate among viewers worldwide.
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, the former radio host criticised the show, calling it “bad”, “humiliating”, “embarrassing” and “astonishingly poor”. In an Instagram video, Cliff did not hold back as he questioned the entertainment value and expressed disappointment with what FIFA and the United States delivered.
Gareth Cliff shares his harsh review of the halftime show
He described the show as “rubbish” and “depressing”, saying he expected more from a country known for its entertainment industry.
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“Astonishingly poor. Rubbish. So awful. Depressing. I know it's been a few days since it happened, but we have to talk about that halftime show in America. I am frankly disappointed in you, America, the home of entertainment, and that is the best they could deliver and FIFA with their deep pockets and supposedly an understanding of what entertainment is?” Cliff said.
Cliff also criticised the involvement of several high-profile performers and celebrities, including Madonna, Justin Bieber and Hollywood veteran Tom Cruise. He questioned the overall production quality, saying some elements appeared unconvincing and failed to create the impact expected from such a global event.
“I mean, really, from the beginning, with like Madonna being wheeled out at 900 years old. Players looking confused, put her in the nursing home. Justin Bieber depressed singing on the field [in fact] pretending to sing on the field just awful. I mean, the whole thing was either CGI or AI, but it just didn't look convincing at all,” he added.
He ended his rant on a note of relief, saying he was glad the FIFA World Cup was over and shared how long it would take him to get over the halftime show.
“Tom Cruise. Dude, I've always thought Tom Cruise did very well to keep himself out of, like, the mainstream. He's kept himself a little mysterious. Sure, there's a weird Scientology stuff going on, but to make a speech on the field that just didn't feel inspiring at all. Oh, OK. I'm, I'm just, you know, I'm glad the World Cup's behind us. It was great fun, and well done to everybody in every other respect except the halftime show. It's gonna take me like 3 weeks to get over that,
Watch Gareth Cliff's full Instagram rant on the halftime show below:
SA reacts to Gareth Cliff's halftime show assessment
The post drew a flurry of responses from his followers, with opinions sharply divided.
Here are some of the comments:
lucy.rodrigues.7927 declared:
"Think the World Cup in South Africa 2010 did a way better job🌍"
bruinogies1 disagreed:
"Bieber was fantastic! Have you noticed he sang about Jesus?❤️❤️❤️"
erica.teddy alleged:
"It was a demonic ritual. Times are changing, not for the better."
evivarnavides remarked:
"Shakira and Burna Boy saved it!"
raquelmunn said:
"I only watched for Madonna! Go Queen! But yes, they could have done a better show."
Source: Getty Images
Sizwe Dhlomo reacts to Gayton McKenzie's R31 million World Cup bill
In other 2026 FIFA World Cup news, Briefly News reported that Sizwe Dhlomo weighed in on Gayton McKenzie's R31 million World Cup expenses with a three-letter reaction.
Public reactions were divided on transparency versus the necessity of spending for the FIFA World Cup delegation.
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Source: Briefly News
