Urgent.News

What's breaking now, across thousands of outlets.

Culture

Burna Boy to Headline 2026 NFL Paris Game Halftime Show

The Nigerian Afrobeats star will headline the halftime show next month as the NFL comes to France for the first time.

Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Burna Boy will take the stage for the halftime show at the 2026 NFL Paris Game. The electrifying artist, whose real name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, will headline the halftime show during Sunday's showdown between the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Born in Nigeria, Burna Boy has become a global sensation with his unique blend of reggae, dancehall, and Afro-fusion melodies.

He has already scored nine tracks on the Billboard Hot 100, including his viral collaboration with Shakira for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which topped global charts and amassed over one billion views on YouTube. In 2021, Burna Boy won the prestigious Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album with his album "Twice As Tall." France holds a special place in the heart of the Afrobeats star, as it is his third most popular streaming market, after the United States and the United Kingdom.

On April 18, 2025, Burna Boy became the first African artist to headline a solo concert at Stade de France, drawing over 80,000 fans for a sold-out show. Reflecting on his return to Paris, Burna Boy said, "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 2026 NFL Paris Game will be broadcast on France Télévisions, beIN Sports, and L’Équipe will also air the event later that evening. With the NFL expanding globally, the league will play a record nine games outside the United States this season, including Paris as one of three cities hosting its first regular-season match. NFL senior director of global game presentation, music, and entertainment Tim Tubito expressed his excitement for the upcoming event, stating, "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. Bringing Burna Boy back to perform in front of a global audience gives us the chance to create something genuinely memorable." The NFL Paris Game is set to kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CEST) on Sunday, Oct. 25.

Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

This story

This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.

Read the original at billboard.com →

More in Culture

Kurt Okraku Pays Tribute To Ghana’s Colts Football Heroes

A moment during the event Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku has paid tribute to generations of Ghanaian football stars whose journeys to the highest level began Read…

  • Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku honored Colts football heroes.
  • Tribute held at Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence on September 15, 2026.
  • Former stars like Abedi Pele and Thomas Partey started in Colts system.

More from Thursday 17 September →