Burna Boy to Headline First NFL Paris Game Halftime Show

Article

Burna Boy will headline the halftime show at the first NFL game ever played in France. The league announced that the Grammy-winning Nigerian star will perform during the 2026 NFL Paris Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 25, at Stade de France. Kick-off is set for 2:30pm CEST (9:30am ET), which is 1:30pm WAT for fans watching in Nigeria and across West and Central Africa. A return to Stade de France The booking takes Burna Boy back to a venue where he has already made history. According to both the NFL and UPI, he became the first African artist to headline Stade de France in April 2025. "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," Burna Boy said in the NFL's announcement. "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." The league's statement describes him as having been nominated for 13 Grammys and as the first African artist to perform on the main Grammy Awards telecast. Why the NFL picked him Tim Tubito, the NFL's senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment, said 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." "Paris is one of the great cultural capitals of the world, and African music sits right at the heart of what the city listens to," Tubito added. "Burna Boy has already made history in this stadium, and bringing him back to perform in front of a global audience gives us the chance to create something genuinely memorable." How to watch The NFL says the full halftime performance will be broadcast live and free to air in France on France Télévisions, and on beIN Sports. L'Équipe will broadcast the game later the same evening. UPI also reports the game will air on France Télévisions and beIN Sports. Ticket information is available through the league's Paris page. Key facts Event: 2026 NFL Paris Game, Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026 Kick-off: 2:30pm CEST / 9:30am ET / 1:30pm WAT Venue: Stade de France Halftime headliner: Burna Boy Broadcast in France: France Télévisions (free to air) and beIN Sports; L'Équipe airs the game later that evening A record seven halftime shows The Paris show is part of a record seven halftime performances across the 2026 NFL International Games, spanning seven countries and four continents, as the league stages its most international games ever in a single season. Burna Boy joins a line-up that the NFL lists as the Jonas Brothers in Melbourne on September 10, Pedro Sampaio and Ricky Martin in Rio de Janeiro on September 27, and Ayra Starr in London on October 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Cage The Elephant play the Munich game on November 15 and The Warning the Mexico City game on November 22. That means two Nigerian stars headline back-to-back European games this month. We covered Ayra Starr's booking in our report on her London halftime show . The NFL abroad According to the league, 62 regular-season NFL games have been played outside the United States. London, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dublin, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto have all hosted games. Paris, Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro are new markets for 2026, and London hosts three games this season. Burna Boy's streaming standing at home is also strong. He is one of the artists leading Nigeria's billion-stream club on Spotify . What's next The NFL says more details about entertainment and fan events around the Paris game will follow. For now the date is fixed: Burna Boy takes the Stade de France stage at halftime on October 25, in the league's first regular-season game in France. Follow more Afrobeats news on Entzopedia. Sources: NFL.com | UPI