How Long Is The Weeknd's Super Bowl Halftime Show?

The Super Bowl halftime show is usually only about 13 minutes long. For the 2021 Super Bowl on Feb. 7, however, it was rumored The Weeknd's halftime show would be an impressive 24 minutes long, according to Billboard. However, it appears this is not the case — Billboard corrected its reporting, noting that, "As in previous years, it will be roughly 12–13 minutes long."

We're not sure how the confusion about the show's length happened, but maybe it's because many Americans are craving more musical entertainment due to all the concert cancellations amid the coronavirus pandemic. A fan can dream, no? There was also the rumor that Pepsi, which sponsors the halftime show, cut its Super Bowl ads to make time for a longer program.

Speaking of the pandemic, Florida's Tampa Bay's Raymond James Stadium, where the Super Bowl will be held, will only be about a third full. But The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has said that the halftime show will be focused on engaging with the people watching from home on TV, rather than the people in the stands. "We've been really focusing on dialing in on the fans at home and making performances a cinematic experience, and we want to do that with the Super Bowl," he told Billboard. The artist has also poured $7 million of his own money into the performance, which is pretty impressive. 

So how did fans respond to the halftime show rumor? Let's take a look.

Fans were psyched about the possibility of The Weeknd performing for 24 minutes at the Super Bowl, with one fan tweeting, "The Weeknd's halftime performance is gonna be 24 minutes long... LETS GO." Someone else said, "24 minutes for the halftime? will be the best show, i love you." Another person joked, "24 MINUTES!? UMM @beyonce it's time to do Super Bowl 2022 baby."

Given the excitement, it's understandable many fans were disappointed when the rumor was clarified. "So it ain't actually 24 minutes? I'm confused lmao," a fan penned. "Don't be f***ing RUDE!" a tweet read. A person who took the news well said, "Happy with whatever we get ILY ABEL."

Of course, it's possible the show will be longer than advertised — you never know what could happen last minute. If 2020 taught us anything, it's to expect the unexpected. Stay tuned!