Afrobeats star Ayra Starr is set to headline the halftime show at the 2026 NFL London Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars on October 11, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. BST at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

The National Football League announced the singer as the performer for the fixture on Thursday. The performance will be part of a record seven halftime shows presented by American Express across the NFL’s 2026 International Games, with the league staging games across seven countries and four continents this season.

Global Afrobeats superstar @ayrastarr will headline the halftime show during the 2026 NFL London Game on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium! 🎤 @NFLUKIRE pic.twitter.com/0XhDpiZFJT

— NFL (@NFL) August 27, 2026

The timing couldn’t have been better for Ayra Starr (born Sarah Aderibigbe), who released her third studio album, Starrgirl, on August 14. The 16-track album features collaborations with Wizkid, Rema, ZAYN, Leon Thomas, kwn and Theodora. 

The Mavin signee joins a growing list of Afrobeats stars to grace major global sporting events, including Burna Boy at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2023 UEFA Champions League final, Davido at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2025 AFCON, Rema at the 2023 Ballon d’Or, Tems at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final, and Tiwa Savage at the 2022 CAF Awards, among others.

“I am so excited to perform at the NFL halftime show in London,” the two-time Grammy nominee for Best African Music Performance said. “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’s Senior Director of Global Game Presentation, Music and Entertainment, Tim Tubito, said Ayra Starr’s connection to London and the growing influence of African music made her a fitting choice for the performance.

“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,” Tubito said.

He described the Nigerian artist as “a generational talent with a real connection to fans in this market” and said she was the right artist to continue the momentum of recent London halftime shows.

The Eagles-Jaguars fixture will be the second NFL game in as many weeks at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Indianapolis Colts will face the Washington Commanders at the venue on October 4.