Burna Boy to Headline Halftime Show at NFL’s First Paris Game

Image by Now Toronto

Burna Boy will headline the halftime show at the National Football League's first regular-season game in France, adding one of Africa's biggest music stars to the league's push to build its international audience.

The Nigerian artist will perform on Oct. 25 at Stade de France during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints. The matchup, presented by American Express, will be the first regular-season NFL game played in France. The performance is part of a record seven halftime shows planned across the NFL's 2026 International Games, which span seven countries and four continents.

Burna Boy, one of the most internationally recognised African artists, has increasingly taken Nigerian music to major global markets. 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 a statement. “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.”

The NFL said the choice reflects the role of African music in Paris's cultural landscape and Burna Boy's previous connection with the stadium. The game is being staged in partnership with GL events and with support from the French Ministry of Sports as the NFL seeks to expand its presence beyond the US.

The league's 2026 international schedule is its largest to date, with regular-season games also being played in Australia, Brazil, the UK, Germany and Mexico. Burna Boy joins a lineup of international performers that includes Ayra Starr, who is scheduled to perform at the NFL's London game, as well as artists performing in Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Munich and Mexico City.

The Paris halftime performance will be broadcast free-to-air in France on France Télévisions, with beIN Sports also carrying the performance. L'Équipe will broadcast the game later that evening. The NFL has previously staged 62 regular-season games outside the US in markets including London, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dublin, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto.