"We can create a little bit of rivalry" — FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacts to the idea of Drake performing at the World Cup half time show

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacted to the idea of rapper Drake performing at the first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show. The next edition of the tournament is set to be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico in June 2026.

On March 6, during the Good Day New York interview, host Rosanna Scotto suggested to Infantino that Drizzy should be headlining the halftime show at the 2026 World Cup. She also hinted at the Toronto rapper's raging feud with Kendrick Lamar, who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show this year.

“I have a great idea for you for the halftime. Drake. Because you were at the Super Bowl—Kendrick Lamar dissed him at the Super Bowl," Scotto said.

Gianni Infantino was open to the idea of bringing Drizzy on board and responded:

"So we can create a bit of a rivalry. That’s a good idea. Actually, Drake was with us when we announced the host cities. I should have his number saved somewhere."

The opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be held in Toronto, Canada, where Drizzy hails from. Meanwhile, the World Cup final will be held on July 19, 2026, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Gianni Infantino confirmed at a press conference on March 5 that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature a halftime show for the first time in history. Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Phil Harvey have been brought on board to curate the performances, the president confirmed.

If Drake is roped in, it could give major competition to Kendrick Lamar's historic 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, where the latter dissed Drizzy by performing two diss tracks aimed at him.

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"It's going to be beautiful" - When Drake spoke to FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the 2026 World Cup

Golden State Warriors v Toronto Raptors - Source: Getty

In a conversation in February 2024, Drake sat down with FIFA President Gianni Infantino to talk about the upcoming 2026 edition of the World Cup. Speaking about Canada being one of the host nations of the tournament, the rapper said:

"Canada as a whole, we have an incredible melting pot. But in Toronto, there are just so many different cultural experiences. So when the world comes, it's going to be beautiful."

Drizzy also called the Canucks "the nicest people" one can "ever meet" and claimed there is "no passion" like "football passion." The rapper's interest in football is well-known, as he has often been spotted betting on some major football fixtures.

During the 2024 Copa America, Drake put his money on his homeland Canada winning over a strong Lionel Messi-led Argentina in the semi-finals. The rapper shared screenshots of his bet on his Instagram ahead of the game. However, Argentina beat Canada 2-0 in the semi-final and eventually went on to win the title last year.

The 6 God rapper reportedly lost $300,00 due to the aforementioned bet. Had he won, he would have earned $2,880,000, according to the figures of his screenshot. Following his loss, Argentina's official X handle poked fun at the rapper by posting an alleged reference to Kendrick Lamar's diss track, Not Like Us, aimed at Drizzy.

Meanwhile, Drake notably bet in favor of Argentina for the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. The Toronto rapper predicted that La Albiceleste would beat France during regular time. While Argentina eventually won in the final, the triumph came after a 4-2 win on penalties.

Given Drake's involvement in football games, it would be interesting to see if he headlines or features in the first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show in 2026.

Notably, during his Super Bowl halftime show, Kendrick Lamar performed Not Like Us and Euphoria - both of which were aimed at Drake during the two rappers' beef between March and May 2024.