The NFL will stage a landmark regular-season game in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 27, and the halftime slot will pair Brazilian star Pedro Sampaio with Puerto Rican icon Ricky Martin. The match — Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys at the historic Maracanã — is part of a larger push by the league to take American football to new global audiences.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET, and the halftime performance is the second of a record seven shows presented by American Express during the NFL International Games 2026, a series that spans seven countries across four continents.
| Event | Ravens vs. Cowboys (regular season) |
| Date | Sept. 27, 2026 |
| Venue | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro |
| Halftime | Pedro Sampaio and Ricky Martin |
| Broadcast (Brazil) | Globo channels GETV and Sportv |
For Sampaio, the show carries personal weight. He described Maracanã as a place where he watched history unfold and said performing there — for the first time and alongside an artist he admires — is an emotional homecoming. The moment is also a milestone for the local music scene: Sampaio has generated more than 14 billion audio and video streams and draws over 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with collaborations that include Anitta, Pabllo Vittar, J Balvin and Nicky Jam. He earned a Latin Grammy nomination in 2024.
Martin brings decades of pop and international crossover experience. With more than 95 million albums sold and hits that reshaped Latin pop’s reach — including a Hot 100 chart-topper in the late 1990s — he said the Maracanã stage is among his favorites and he looks forward to reconnecting with Brazilian audiences. Earlier this year, Martin joined Bad Bunny during the Super Bowl halftime show to perform the chorus of “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii,” underscoring his role in high-profile, cross-genre moments.
The NFL’s entertainment team framed the booking as part of a deliberate embrace of Latin music’s expanding global influence. Tim Tubito, the league’s senior director for global game presentation, noted the two performers’ deep ties with fans across Brazil and Latin America and called the pairing a natural fit for an event aimed at broader cultural engagement.
- Global strategy: The game and halftime show underline the NFL’s efforts to grow its international footprint through culturally relevant programming.
- Local impact: A high-profile event at Maracanã is likely to boost tourist interest, generate stadium-area revenue and spotlight Brazilian artists on a global stage.
- Music crossover: Pairing an international pop star with a domestic hitmaker reflects the league’s push to blend sports and entertainment to attract diverse viewers.
Fans in Brazil will be able to watch the halftime set live on Globo’s GETV and Sportv channels. Collectors and attendees can also expect limited-edition merchandise tied to the performance to be sold at NFL Shops in Rio.
This Rio announcement follows another first for the 2026 slate: the Jonas Brothers are confirmed to perform at the NFL’s debut regular-season game in Australia on Sept. 10 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Together, these bookings underline a broader programming strategy that pairs live sports with major-name music acts to create event-level moments outside the United States.
What to watch on Sept. 27: setlists and staging choices will reveal how the NFL and its partners intend to balance local flavor with mass appeal. The matchup at Maracanã will test whether the league’s global gambit can translate into sustained interest from international audiences — and whether halftime shows can serve as a bridge between regional music scenes and a growing worldwide fanbase for American football.
