Afrobeats has added another global stage to its list. Nigerian singer Ayra Starr headlined the half-time show at the NFL's London game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
According to an interview with BBC Newsbeat, republished by Graphic Online, the show made her the first African artist to headline the half-time show at one of the NFL's international games.
Sports outlet Bolavip, reporting after the performance, said Ayra Starr opened her set with "Heaven Baby" and went on to perform "Santa", "Hot Body", "Rush" and "Dangerous". The set mixed songs from her new album, Starrgirl, released in August, with earlier hits.
The NFL said the full performance would be broadcast live in the UK on Channel 5 and Sky Sports. The game kicked off at 2:30 p.m. British time.
Speaking to BBC Newsbeat before the show, Ayra Starr said the performance "itself is a message". She said it was "very important" for artists to take opportunities like this, adding: "At the end of the day, as artists, we speak for the culture and we speak for the people that listen to us."
She was also clear about her ambitions for the genre. "I want it to be one of the top genres in the world," she said of Afrobeats. Ahead of the game, she told the BBC: "Sunday is gonna be amazing."
When the NFL announced the booking, Ayra Starr said in the league's statement: "I am so excited to perform at the NFL halftime show in London," adding that London is one of her favourite cities. Tim Tubito, the NFL's senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment, called her "a generational talent with a real connection to fans in this market."
The NFL says the London show is one of a record seven half-time shows across its 2026 International Games, which the league describes as its most international season yet. The shows are presented by American Express.
London has hosted regular-season NFL games for nearly two decades, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was built with a dedicated field for American football. The UK capital is also home to one of the largest African diaspora communities in Europe, which helps explain why the league chose an Afrobeats star for its London stage.
Ayra Starr, 24, is a Beninese-Nigerian singer and songwriter signed to Mavin Records. She broke through with her 2021 debut album 19 & Dangerous and found global success with "Rush", which became one of the most-streamed African songs of recent years.
According to the NFL, she has more than seven billion streams, two Grammy nominations for Best African Music Performance, a BET Award for Best International Act and a slot on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage. BBC Newsbeat notes that she was the first African woman to win Best International Act at the MOBO Awards and the first Nigerian woman to pass one billion views on YouTube.
The singer studied political science and international relations, and has said that background shapes her advocacy for women's equality and children's issues.
Major American sporting events have become important stages for African artists in recent years. Afrobeats stars have performed at NBA and football events and at major festivals around the world, helping the genre move from diaspora clubs into the mainstream.
A headline half-time show at an NFL game puts an African artist in front of a large global television audience that may know little about Afrobeats. For fans in Ghana and across the continent, it is another sign of how far the sound has travelled, and of the growing commercial pull of African pop.
Ayra Starr's achievement also follows a strong year for African women in music, as artists such as Tyla and Tems continue to win major international awards and headline big stages.
