Burna Boy To Headline NFL Paris Game Halftime Show

The Grammy-winning Nigerian singer and songwriter, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, is set to take Afrobeats to another major international stage after being announced as the headline performer for the halftime show of the 2026 National Football League (NFL) Paris Game.

Burna Boy will perform at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Sunday, October 25, when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the New Orleans Saints in the NFL’s first regular-season game in France, Naija News reports.

The game, presented by American Express, will begin at 2:30 p.m. CEST (9:30 a.m. ET).

The performance will see Burna Boy return to the stadium where he made history in April 2025 as the first African artiste to headline a solo concert.

His April 18, 2025 concert sold out all 80,000 tickets at the Stade de France, according to the stadium.

Reacting to the NFL announcement, Burna Boy said returning to the venue for such a major occasion meant a lot to him.

“Paris gave me one of the biggest nights of my career, and to walk back into Stade de France for a moment like this means everything.

“The NFL is bringing something to France that has never happened here before, and I get to stand in the middle of it representing African music and I intend to give the people a show they will not forget,” he told Billboard.

The NFL’s senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment, Tim Tubito, said Burna Boy was selected because of the importance of the league’s first regular-season game in France.

“The first NFL game in France deserves a halftime moment that matches the occasion, and there is no artist better suited to it than Burna Boy,” Tubito said.

He added that African music “sits right at the heart of what the city listens to”, while pointing to Burna Boy’s previous history at the Stade de France.

The Paris performance is one of seven halftime shows planned for the NFL’s 2026 International Games across seven countries and four continents.

Other performers announced include the Jonas Brothers for Melbourne, Pedro Sampaio and Ricky Martin for Rio de Janeiro, Ayra Starr for London, Cage The Elephant for Munich and The Warning for Mexico City.

Burna Boy has become one of the leading Nigerian artistes taking Afrobeats to major international stages.

He won the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album in 2021 for Twice As Tall. He also performed at the UEFA Champions League Final Kick-Off Show in Istanbul in 2023 and the NBA All-Star Game the same year.

He is scheduled to perform alongside Shakira at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including their collaboration, “Dai Dai.”

The NFL Paris Game is being staged in partnership with GL events, with support from the French Ministry of Sports.

Burna Boy’s full halftime performance will be broadcast live in France on France Télévisions and beIN Sports, while L’Équipe will air the game later in the evening.

No details have been announced about the setlist or whether Burna Boy will be joined by other performers.

Ayra Starr, Other Nigerians On Global Sports Stages

Naija News reports that Burna Boy’s NFL appearance comes as other Nigerian artistes continue to feature at major international sporting events.

Ayra Starr is scheduled to headline the halftime show at the NFL London Game on October 11, 2026, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the Philadelphia Eagles will face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Davido performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony in Qatar, while Tems performed at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Rema performed at the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, while Yemi Alade featured at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.

Femi Kuti performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in South Africa, while D’banj performed at the 2013 AFCON closing ceremony.

Kizz Daniel and Patoranking also performed at the FIFA World Cup 2022 Fan Festival in Qatar. Kizz Daniel performed his hit song “Buga”, while Patoranking entertained fans with his reggae-dancehall sound.

Wizkid has also appeared at major sports and entertainment events, including the inaugural World Tennis League in 2022 and Gamers8 in Saudi Arabia.

Fireboy DML performed at the BET Awards, while his song “Scatter” was selected for the official soundtrack of EA Sports FIFA 21.