Ayra Starr headlines NFL London halftime show, Nigerian outlets call it African first
Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr headlined an NFL International Games halftime show in London, a milestone reported by Nigerian outlets.
What happened
Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr headlined the halftime show at an NFL International Games match in London between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars.123
Vanguard reported she is the first African female singer to headline an NFL International Games halftime show, while BusinessDay's (truncated) snippet similarly describes her as the first African artist to do so.23
BusinessDay reported the performance took place on Sunday, October 11, 2026.3
The game involved the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars.1
Where accounts differ
Each account is attributed to who makes it. We do not judge between them.
Exact nature of the 'first' milestone
What the coverage leaves out
- None of the outlets reviewed reported details of the setlist or other performers at the show.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported reactions from NFL officials or other artists to the milestone.
- All sources reviewed are Nigerian outlets; no non-Nigerian or international outlets' coverage was available for comparison, so the 'first' claim and other details remain uncorroborated outside Nigerian media.
Why it matters
Sources (3)
Every outlet we drew on, grouped by where it is based. Read the originals for the full reporting.
Africa
- 1Premium TimesNGIndependent
- 2VanguardNGPrivate
Ayra Starr becomes first African female singer to headline NFL halftime show
- 3BusinessDayNGPrivate
Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr makes NFL history with London halftime show