Ayra Starr: Afrobeats star makes history as first African to perform at NFL halftime show

Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr etched her name into the record books on Sunday, 11 October, becoming the first African to perform at an NFL international game halftime show.

She did it at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, during the clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars.

As the American football action paused, the spotlight turned to the singer, real name Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe. The stadium was about to change tempo.

Ayra Starr opened with her chart-topping hits, and the crowd felt it immediately.

Her silky, powerful voice rolled across the stands. Fans who had come for touchdowns found themselves swaying, clapping and singing along word for word. Goosebumps rippled through the crowd.

She delivered Rush and Heaven Baby, then Hot Body, and the stadium sang with her.

She was not alone in the spotlight.

A troupe of dancers flanked her throughout the set, moving in sharp, perfectly synchronised routines. Their high-energy choreography filled the stadium with colour and movement, matching every beat.

It was a vivid mix of vocals and spectacle, and it carried the arena along with it.

Ahead of the show, Ayra Starr said she was thrilled to bring her third studio album, Starrgirl, to such a stage.

"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," she said.

The NFL announced her as the headline act in August, citing her rising global profile and her role in spreading Afrobeats beyond Africa.

Her appearance was part of the NFL's 2026 international games entertainment programme. It features seven halftime performances across seven countries and four continents as the league widens its global audience.

Since her debut in 2021, Ayra Starr has built a huge following. The NFL says her music has racked up more than seven billion streams worldwide, plus one billion YouTube views.

She has two Grammy nominations in the best African music performance category. She also won the BET award for best international act and has performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.

The NFL's choice shows how the league is using music to reach fans beyond the United States. It also underlines the growing opportunities for African artistes on global stages.

And as the final notes faded over north London, one thing was clear. Afrobeats had just scored a landmark moment at the NFL.