Afrobeats is heading to the NFL in a major way this season, with Nigerian stars Ayra Starr and Burna Boy set to headline halftime shows at two of the league’s international games.
Ayra Starr will take the stage in London when the Philadelphia Eagles face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, October 11. Two weeks later, Burna Boy will headline the halftime show at the NFL’s first-ever game in France, as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France on October 25.
Together, the appearances give two of Nigeria’s biggest music stars prominent places in the NFL’s expanding international programme and continue a growing relationship between African music and major global sporting events.
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Ayra Starr Takes Afrobeats to the NFL in London
Starr will make history as the first Afrobeats artiste to headline an NFL International Game Halftime Show when she performs in London.
The Eagles and Jaguars game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. BST, with Starr’s performance taking place during halftime. Her appearance is also part of a record seven halftime shows planned across this season’s international NFL matches, presented by American Express.
For Starr, the performance comes at another significant point in her career. The singer recently released her third studio album, Starrgirl, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard World Albums Chart.
London also has a personal significance for the Nigerian singer, who described the city as one of her favourite places in the world. She said bringing Starrgirl to the NFL’s global stage was a dream come true.
The NFL has pointed to Starr’s strong connection with London audiences and the growing influence of African music as reasons for the choice.
NFL senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment Tim Tubito described her as a generational talent capable of carrying forward the momentum created by previous London halftime performances.
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Burna Boy Heads to Paris
While Starr prepares for London, Burna Boy is set to make his own mark in Paris.
The Grammy-winning Nigerian singer will headline the halftime show when the Pittsburgh Steelers play the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France on Sunday, October 25.
The game will be historic for another reason: it will be the first NFL game played in France.
Burna Boy’s appearance will therefore form part of a landmark moment for the league as it expands its reach into new markets. The Paris performance is also one of seven international halftime shows scheduled across the 2026 season, spanning seven countries and four continents.
For Burna Boy, the venue carries its own history. He became the first African artist to headline Stade de France in April 2025, making his return to the stadium for the NFL event another significant chapter in his relationship with French audiences.
He said the opportunity to return to the stadium for the NFL game meant a great deal to him, particularly because he would be representing African music at an event France had never hosted before.
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Another Global Stage for African Music
The NFL appearances by Starr and Burna Boy arrive as African music continues to become increasingly visible at major sporting events.
Burna Boy, Tems and Rema performed during the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend, while Burna Boy also performed at the 2023 UEFA Champions League final. Davido appeared at the 2022 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony, and Tems performed during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup halftime show.
The pattern is becoming difficult to ignore. Major sporting events are increasingly turning to African artists to connect with international audiences, while Afrobeats and other African sounds continue to expand their reach beyond traditional music markets.
The NFL’s decision to place Starr and Burna Boy at the centre of two international games reflects that shift.
For the artists, these are opportunities to perform before audiences that extend far beyond their established fan bases. For Afrobeats, they offer another route into the global mainstream.
And for Nigeria, having two of its biggest music stars represent African music across the NFL’s London and Paris games is another reminder of how far the country’s sound has travelled.
At RefinedNG, we celebrate African talent taking its place on the world’s biggest stages. Follow RefinedNG for more stories about the musicians, creatives and innovators putting African excellence in front of global audiences.