Burna Boy To Headline NFL’s Historic Paris Debut
Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy is set to headline the halftime show at the NFL’s first regular-season game in France, marking another major international milestone for the Grammy-winning singer.
The NFL announced that Burna Boy will perform during the highly anticipated 2026 NFL Paris Game, where the Pittsburgh Steelers will face the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
The game is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CEST (9:30 a.m. ET).
The Paris performance will be particularly significant for Burna Boy, as he returns to a venue where he already made history.
In April 2025, the singer became the first African artist to headline a solo concert at Stade de France, performing before a sold-out crowd of more than 80,000 people.
Reacting to the NFL announcement, Burna Boy described his return to the stadium as a special moment.
“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,” he said.
He added that the NFL was bringing something to France that had never happened before and that he intended to represent African music with a performance fans would remember.
The Steelers-Saints clash will make history as the first regular-season NFL game played in France.
The Paris fixture is part of the league’s expanded international programme for the 2026 season, with games taking place across several countries and continents. The NFL says the 2026 campaign features a record seven international halftime shows across seven countries and four continents.
NFL Senior Director of Global Game Presentation, Music and Entertainment, Tim Tubito, said Burna Boy was a fitting choice for the occasion because of his previous connection with Stade de France and the popularity of African music in Paris.
Burna Boy’s selection further places African music at the centre of major international sporting events.
The Nigerian star joins a growing list of African artistes appearing at NFL international games this season. Fellow Nigerian singer Ayra Starr is scheduled to headline the NFL London halftime show on October 11, while other performers include the Jonas Brothers in Melbourne, Ricky Martin and Pedro Sampaio in Rio de Janeiro, Cage The Elephant in Munich and The Warning in Mexico City.
Burna Boy’s performance will therefore be another opportunity for Afrobeats to reach a global sports audience, following his appearances on some of the world’s biggest entertainment stages.
The singer won the Grammy for Best Global Music Album for Twice as Tall in 2021 and has continued to expand his international profile through major tours and stadium performances.
Burna Boy’s full halftime performance will be broadcast live in France on France Télévisions and beIN Sports, while L’Équipe will broadcast the game later that evening.
For Burna Boy, the October 25 performance represents another return to a stadium where he has already created history — this time with the spotlight of the NFL’s French debut firmly on him.
