Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt made a surprise appearance in character as Ted Lasso and Coach Beard during the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show on Sunday, delivering an in-character pep talk to co-headliner Justin Bieber before he took the pitch to perform. The cameo drew on the actors' well-known feel-good football characters and arrived just weeks ahead of the Apple TV series returning for its fourth season on 5 August, giving the moment added promotional resonance.

The cameo was one of several standout moments in a star-studded, 11-minute show that also featured Madonna in a pre-recorded segment riding a dune buggy driven by football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, the Muppets performing "Seven Nation Army" with an orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, K-pop group BTS performing "Dynamite", and Coldplay joining a children's choir from Staten Island. Shakira and Burna Boy were widely singled out for a lively rendition of the tournament's official song, "Dai Dai", while Bieber closed his own segment with a lower-key solo performance of "Everything Hallelujah" from his Swag II album.