Nigerian Afrofusion star Burna Boy will headline the halftime show when the National Football League stages its first regular-season game in France on October 25, 2026.
The Grammy Award-winning singer will perform at Stade de France in Paris during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints. The match is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Central European Summer Time.
The NFL announced Burna Boy as the headline performer on September 17, adding another international sports platform to the Nigerian artist’s growing list of major performances.
NFL Brings Regular-Season Game to France
The Paris game will mark the first time a regular-season NFL fixture is played in France.
The Steelers and Saints will meet at Stade de France as part of the NFL’s 2026 International Games programme. The Paris fixture is one of several games the league is staging outside the United States as it expands its international schedule.
The NFL said the 2026 season includes its largest international programme to date, with seven halftime shows spread across seven countries and four continents.
Burna Boy’s performance will therefore take place during a game that represents a new market for the league.
Burna Boy Returns to Stade de France
The announcement also brings Burna Boy back to a venue where he previously made history.
In April 2025, he became the first African artist to headline a solo concert at Stade de France, according to the NFL and other reports.
His return will put him on the same stadium stage for a different type of event, this time as part of the NFL’s entry into the French market.
Burna Boy said returning to Paris for the NFL event was significant following his previous performance at the stadium.
He also described the occasion as an opportunity to represent African music during the league’s first game in France.
NFL Highlights African Music’s Role in Paris
Tim Tubito, the NFL’s senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment, said Burna Boy’s connection to Paris and African music contributed to his selection.
The NFL has increasingly incorporated international performers into its games outside the United States, using halftime performances as part of the entertainment surrounding its international fixtures.
For the Paris game, the choice also connects the league’s new French market with an artist who already has an established performance history in the city.
Part of a Wider International Halftime Programme
Burna Boy is not the only international artist scheduled to perform during the NFL’s 2026 overseas games.
The league has announced the Jonas Brothers for the Melbourne Game, Pedro Sampaio and Ricky Martin for the Rio de Janeiro Game, Ayra Starr for the London Game, Cage The Elephant for Munich and The Warning for Mexico City.
The programme reflects the NFL’s effort to combine its international sporting events with locally and globally recognised music acts.
The Paris performance also places two Nigerian artists in the league’s 2026 international entertainment programme. Ayra Starr is scheduled to headline the halftime show at the London Game on October 11.
Nigerian Music Continues to Reach Global Sports Audiences
Burna Boy’s NFL appearance adds to the growing number of major international sporting events featuring Nigerian and African musicians.
He has previously performed at major global sports and entertainment events, including the UEFA Champions League Final Kick-Off Show and the NBA All-Star Game.
His NFL appearance comes after his performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show alongside Shakira and the Triplets Ghetto Kids.
Other Nigerian artists have also appeared at major sporting events in recent years, including Davido, Tems, Rema and Ayra Starr.
These appearances have provided Nigerian music with platforms that reach audiences beyond traditional music festivals and concerts.
When Is the NFL Paris Game?
The NFL Paris Game will take place on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Stade de France.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the New Orleans Saints, with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CEST, equivalent to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
The game will be the NFL’s first regular-season fixture in France.
Burna Boy’s halftime performance will form part of the entertainment programme surrounding the historic game.
How to Watch Burna Boy’s Performance
In France, the NFL said Burna Boy’s full halftime performance will be broadcast live on France Télévisions and beIN Sports.
The game will also be broadcast through the league’s designated international broadcast arrangements.
Details of Burna Boy’s setlist and whether additional guest performers will join him have not been announced by the NFL.
A New International Stage for Burna Boy
The October performance will give Burna Boy another opportunity to perform before a global audience while the NFL establishes itself in France.
For the league, the Paris game is part of its broader international expansion. For Burna Boy, it is another appearance at Stade de France, a venue already associated with an important point in his career.
The performance will also add another chapter to the growing presence of Nigerian music at major international sporting events, with Burna Boy and Ayra Starr both scheduled to headline NFL international-game halftime shows in 2026.
The focus now turns to October 25, when the Steelers and Saints meet in Paris and Burna Boy takes the stage at halftime.
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