{"id":8312,"date":"2026-07-17T05:11:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T00:11:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=8312"},"modified":"2026-07-17T05:11:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T00:11:32","slug":"the-cures-robert-smith-is-not-looking-forward-to-chris-martins-world-cup-halftime-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=8312","title":{"rendered":"The Cure&#8217;s Robert Smith is not looking forward to Chris Martin&#8217;s World Cup halftime show"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/The-Cure\">The Cure<\/a>\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/Robert-Smith\">Robert Smith<\/a> has shared his thoughts on the upcoming FIFA World Cup final halftime show curated by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/coldplay\">Coldplay<\/a>\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/chris-martin\">Chris Martin<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/watch-chris-martin-and-the-muppets-confirm-madonna-shakira-and-bts-as-world-cup-final-halftime-show-headliners-3945356\">The first ever official World Cup final halftime show will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday<\/a>\u00a0(July 19), and is set to feature\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/madonna\">Madonna<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/justin-bieber\">Justin Bieber<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/shakira\">Shakira <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/bts\">BTS<\/a>, with Martin curating the performance.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier today (July 16),\u00a0Smith shared a typically blunt response to the spectacle on\u00a0The Cure\u2019s official Instagram page,\u00a0taking\u00a0aim\u00a0in particular\u00a0at\u00a0FIFA President Gianni Infantino.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe half-time show, which has been curated by Coldplay\u2019s Chris Martin, will feature Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and the K-pop boyband BTS,\u201d the caption read. \u201cFifa\u2019s president, Gianni Infantosser, has described the half-time show as \u2018groundbreaking spectacle\u2019 that will \u2018celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The caption concluded: \u201cAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH\u2026 #Breadandcircuses #MUGWANK #pleasejustfuckoff.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Check out the post here:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Da3GKWPzl69\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The post\u00a0also included a photograph that\u00a0appears to be\u00a0NASA\u2019s famous \u2018Pale Blue Dot\u2019 photograph, taken by Voyager 1 in 1990 from around\u00a03.7billion miles\u00a0away. The image shows Earth as\u00a0a tiny speck in\u00a0space, and\u00a0has long been used as a reminder of humanity\u2019s small place in the universe.<\/p>\n<p>The halftime show will be the first of its kind at\u00a0a World\u00a0Cup final, following the model of the Super Bowl. FIFA has said the show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which\u00a0is aiming\u00a0to raise money to help expand access to education and football for children around the world.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0withering nature of the\u00a0post recalls\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/cures-robert-smith-goes-viral-brilliantly-blunt-brand-interview-response-watch-2469439\">Smith\u2019s famously dry response at the 2019 Rock And Roll Hall\u00a0Of\u00a0Fame induction ceremony<\/a>, when an interviewer asked The Cure whether they were \u201cas excited as I am\u201d to be inducted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy the sounds of it, no,\u201d Smith replied, in a clip that later went viral.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Cure&amp;apos;s Robert Smith offers blunt response to overzealous TV host\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/houFuiYrEi0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/the-cures-robert-smith-speaks-out-on-viral-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-interview-i-felt-bad-about-that-actually-3823526\">Speaking about the moment\u00a0in 2024\u00a0on Annie MacManus and Nick Grimshaw\u2019s\u00a0Sidetracked podcast<\/a>, Smith said he had \u201cfelt bad\u201d about the exchange.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I\u2019m honest, I didn\u2019t\u00a0realise\u00a0that I was being filmed,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had just come from quite a serious conversation in our dressing room about what we were doing there. And this wave of enthusiasm was just like\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/hot-hot-hot-the-cure-bring-the-hits-through-the-heatwave-as-2026-uk-tour-arrives-in-cardiff-3953097\">The Cure\u00a0are\u00a0currently out on tour across the UK and Europe<\/a>. Earlier this week, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/the-cure-announce-simon-gallups-son-eden-filling-in-for-him-on-tour-as-hes-not-well-enough-to-play-3956446\">they announced that Simon Gallup\u2019s son Eden was filling in for the longtime bassist<\/a>\u00a0after he was taken ill shortly before the first of their three shows in Berlin.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/the-cure-opener-festival-setlist-deep-cut-fan-favorites-3954938\">The band recently headlined Poland\u2019s\u00a0Open\u2019er\u00a0Festival<\/a>, where they performed a career-spanning set that included the rarely played \u2018Wild Mood Swings\u2019 deep cut \u2018Treasure\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Cure&amp;apos;s Robert Smith reveals finished album title at the BandLab NME Awards 2022\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/skpB48MCZhY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Last month,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/robert-smith-says-the-cures-next-album-is-done-with-a-really-poppy-and-upbeat-separate-album-also-on-the-way-3949846\">Smith revealed that The Cure\u00a0have finished a follow-up to 2024\u2019s \u2018Songs Of A Lost World\u2019<\/a>, while another more \u201cpoppy\u201d and \u201cupbeat\u201d album is also in the works.<\/p>\n<p>He also recently teamed up with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/olivia-rodrigo\">Olivia Rodrigo<\/a>\u00a0on \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/listen-to-olivia-rodrigo-and-the-cures-robert-smith-team-up-on-gorgeous-heartbreaker-collab-whats-wrong-with-me-3950388\">What\u2019s Wrong\u00a0With\u00a0Me<\/a>\u2019,\u00a0and features on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/the-rolling-stones\">The Rolling Stones<\/a>\u2019 new album \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/the-rolling-stones-announce-new-album-foreign-tongues-with-contributions-from-paul-mccartney-robert-smith-and-more-3944180\">Foreign Tongues<\/a>\u2019,\u00a0contributing guitar to \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/listen-to-the-rolling-stones-rollicking-new-song-divine-intervention-featuring-the-cures-robert-smith-and-soulful-single-jealous-lover-3953371\">Divine Intervention<\/a>\u2019 and synth and backing vocals to \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/the-cures-robert-smith-initially-turned-down-rolling-stones-collaboration-i-wasnt-really-prepared-for-it-3954279\">Never Wanna Lose You<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/reviews\/album\/the-cure-songs-of-a-lost-world-review-lyrics-3801637\">In a five-star review of \u2018Songs\u00a0Of\u00a0A\u00a0Lost World\u2019<\/a>,\u00a0<i>NME\u00a0<\/i>wrote: \u201cMerciless? Yes, but there\u2019s always enough heart in the darkness and opulence in the sound to hold you and place these songs alongside The Cure\u2019s finest.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe frontman suggested that another two records may be arriving at some point, but \u2018Songs Of A Lost World\u2019 feels sufficient enough for the wait we\u2019ve endured, just for being arguably the most personal album of Smith\u2019s career. Mortality may loom, but there\u2019s colour in the black and flowers on the grave.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('consent', 'revoke');\n  fbq('init', '370979561341328');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n<\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Cure\u2019s\u00a0Robert Smith has shared his thoughts on the upcoming FIFA World Cup final halftime show curated by Coldplay\u2019s\u00a0Chris Martin. The first ever official World Cup final halftime show will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday\u00a0(July 19), and is set to feature\u00a0Madonna,\u00a0Justin Bieber, Shakira and BTS, with Martin curating the performance&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cure_robert_smith.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8312"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8312\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}