Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr is set to headline the halftime show at the 2026 NFL London Game, where the Philadelphia Eagles will face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11, as reported by TheCable and Punch. The performance will make her the first Afrobeats artist to headline an NFL game, marking another major breakthrough for African music on the global stage.
The 24 year old singer will perform as part of the NFL’s record seven international halftime shows scheduled across seven countries and four continents during the 2026 season. The league said Starr’s strong connection with London and her role in the global growth of African music made her an ideal choice for the performance.
The appearance comes shortly after the release of her third studio album, Starrgirl, which features collaborations with artists including Wizkid, Rema, ZAYN and Leon Thomas. Starr has also surpassed seven billion global streams and one billion YouTube views since her debut in 2021, while earning two Grammy nominations and a BET Award for Best International Act.
For Nigeria’s music industry, the NFL booking represents another significant step in Afrobeats’ integration into major global sporting and entertainment platforms. With the performance scheduled for one of London’s biggest sporting stages, Ayra Starr will have an opportunity to introduce her sound to millions of American football fans worldwide.
