Jay-Z Named Headliner for Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show on Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium

Since Roc Nation became the NFL's halftime partner in 2019, Jay-Z has helped decide who plays the Super Bowl. On Monday night, Oct. 26, he was announced as the performer.

The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation made the announcement during halftime of the Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles game on ESPN. The post carried the caption "GOAT's out of the bag," over a video of Jay-Z at SoFi Stadium with goats.

Super Bowl LXI is set for Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The game and halftime show will air on ESPN, ABC and Disney+, and on mobile through NFL+.

The man who books the show takes the stage

Roc Nation has produced the halftime show since 2019 and extended its NFL deal in 2024 for five more years, according to the Los Angeles Times. The paper also reports that Jay-Z has had the final say on the performer every year since 2020. This will be Roc Nation's eighth year on the show.

Roc Nation will executive-produce the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show. Hamish Hamilton will direct.

Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, has resisted this for years. In 2019 he said he told NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, "If this is about me performing at the Super Bowl, then we can just end this conversation now."

In a 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight, he said, "I thought it would be selfish to pick myself too early. Maybe one year. Maybe."

Goodell said Monday that when the league first reached its agreement with Roc Nation, he had one request: "that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment felt right to him."

Jay-Z said in a statement: "From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey. Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world's biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true."

A year of stadium shows

The announcement came two days after Jay-Z finished his Jay-Z 30 tour with back-to-back shows at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 23 and 24. The tour marked the 30th anniversary of his 1996 debut, "Reasonable Doubt."

It opened with three nights at Yankee Stadium in July and went on to London and Paris before ending in Southern California. Puck reported, per OutKick, that the three Yankee Stadium shows grossed more than $42 million. That figure has not been confirmed by Jay-Z's team.

HBO released "Jay-Z in 8," an eight-part documentary made with producer Rick Rubin, last month.

Jay-Z is 56. He has won 25 Grammy Awards and received 89 nominations, second only to Beyoncé. In 2017 he became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. His last studio album, "4:44," came out that same year.

The field he beat

Puck News reported before the announcement that Jay-Z had been chosen over Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber. TMZ reported that Harry Styles was among the frontrunners. The NFL and Roc Nation have not commented on who else was considered.

Recent headliners include Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd. Bad Bunny performed at last season's game in February. The next morning, he held the top six spots on Spotify's U.S. Top 50 chart, with a seventh song at No. 8.

SoFi Stadium also hosted Super Bowl LVI in 2022. That halftime show featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak.

What is still open

The announcement does not say whether Jay-Z will be the sole performer. The NFL's own statement invited speculation about guests: "Anticipation as to who Jay-Z might have guest star at halftime for the big game will now kick off. Of course, his wife, Beyoncé, will be atop the list."

Neither Jay-Z nor Roc Nation has named a guest or released a setlist.

The show is set for Feb. 14, 2027.