The National Football League (NFL) has announced afrobeats star Damini ‘Burna Boy’ Ogulu as the headliner for the halftime show for the game between Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints on October 25.
The league confirmed the lineup in a statement on Thursday, stating that the halftime show is part of seven of such events scheduled across its 2026 NFL International Games.
The Paris Game will take place at the Stade de France.
“The National Football League (www.NFL.com) announced today that GRAMMY® Award-winning titan Burna Boy will headline the halftime show during the 2026 NFL Paris Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m. CEST (9:30 a.m. ET) at Stade de France.
“The Paris performance will be part of a record seven halftime shows staged across the 2026 NFL International Games — a lineup of live musical performances spanning seven countries and four continents — as the league plays its most international games ever in a single season,” the NFL said.
In the statement, the league described Burna Boy as one of the biggest African musicians globally, adding that the singer was ready to entertain fans at the game.
Reacting to the announcement, Burna Boy stated, “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.”
Meanwhile, senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment at the NFL, Tim Tubito, stressed that the first-ever NFL match deserves a Burna Boy’s performance.
“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.
“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. We look forward to collaborating with him on a performance that captures the energy that matches the moment,” Mr Tim stated.
This came after the NFL previously announced that Afrobeats star Ayra Starr will headline the halftime show of the 2026 London Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 11.
