Out Of Africa: Nigeria’s Ayra Starr To Headline Halftime Show During NFL London Game In October

The National Football League (NFL) has announced that global Afrobeats superstar Ayra Starr will headline the halftime show during the 2026 NFL London Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday 11 October at 2:30 p.m. BST at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The London performance will be part of a record seven halftime shows presented by American Express staged across the 2026 NFL International Games a lineup of live musical performances spanning seven countries and four continents as the league plays its most international games ever in a single season.

One of the defining voices of a new generation of global pop music coming out of Africa, Ayra Starr has amassed more than seven billion global streams and one billion YouTube views since her debut in 2021. The Nigerian recording artist is a two-time GRAMMY® nominee for Best African Music Performance, a BET Award winner for Best International Act and a Pyramid Stage performer at Glastonbury Festival. Most recently, the 24-year-old released her third studio album, Starrgirl, on 14 August to rave reviews, boasting star-studded collaborations including ZAYN, Leon Thomas, Kwn, Theodora and Wizkid.

“I am so excited to perform at the NFL halftime show in London,” said Ayra Starr. “London is one of my favourite places in the world, and to bring Starrgirl to the NFL global stage is a dream come true for me. I can’t wait to see you guys there!”

“The NFL London games are the foundation of everything we have built internationally, and the halftime show has become one of the biggest moments, which makes these events so special,” said Tim Tubito, senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment at the NFL. “London is one of the most influential music cities in the world, and African music has been at the centre of that conversation for years now. Ayra Starr is a generational talent with a real connection to fans in this market, and building on the halftime shows we have staged in London in recent seasons, she is the right artist to carry that momentum forward. We look forward to collaborating with her on a performance that captures the energy that matches the moment.”

You can listen to Ayra Starr’s album Starrgirl HERE.