Carnival Kicks Off Early! Ricky Martin & Pedro Sampaio to Ignite NFL Halftime in Rio

The 2026 NFL Rio Game is set to host a spectacular halftime show featuring Puerto Rican megastar Ricky Martin and Brazilian DJ, singer, and producer Pedro Sampaio. This landmark event, exclusively announced by Billboard on Monday, August 17, marks one of the biggest highlights of the NFL’s most extensive international season to date. The game will take place on Sunday, September 27, at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracanã Stadium, where the Baltimore Ravens will face the Dallas Cowboys in the city's first-ever NFL regular-season game. Kick-off is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.

This performance will be the second of a record seven halftime shows presented by American Express during the 2026 NFL International Games, which are planned across seven countries and four continents. The selection of Ricky Martin and Pedro Sampaio underscores the NFL's growing embrace of global music and culture, particularly Latin music, which holds significant influence in Brazil and across Latin America.

Brazilian artist Pedro Sampaio expressed profound excitement for the opportunity, stating, “I grew up in Rio de Janeiro, seeing Maracanã Stadium as a place where history was made. I never imagined that my first time performing on that field would be alongside Ricky Martin, who has always been a huge inspiration to me.” Sampaio, who boasts over 14 billion audio and video streams worldwide and more than 11 million monthly Spotify listeners, highlighted the historical significance of Maracanã for both sports and music. He also noted his pride in participating in the inaugural NFL game in his hometown. Sampaio has collaborated with major Latin music artists such as Anitta, Pabllo Vittar, J Balvin, and Nicky Jam, and received a Latin Grammy nomination in 2024.

Ricky Martin, a global icon with a three-decade career and over 95 million albums sold worldwide, including the historic Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” shared Sampaio’s enthusiasm. Martin stated that the performance would bring him back to “one of my favorite places in the world: Rio.” He added, “Being part of another historic NFL event alongside Pedro Sampaio is incredibly exciting. There’s nothing quite like the energy of the Brazilian people, and I can’t wait to reunite with our fans and perform live at the iconic Maracanã.” Martin is no stranger to NFL halftime shows, having joined Bad Bunny in February for his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, where they performed a chorus from Benito’s “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii.”

Tim Tubito, senior director of global game presentation, music, and entertainment at the NFL, emphasized the league's strategic decision: “Over the past year, the NFL has embraced the global power and cultural influence of Latin music, and Pedro Sampaio and Ricky Martin each have a unique connection with fans across Brazil, Latin America and beyond.” The performance will be broadcast live in Brazil on Globo’s GETV and sportv channels, allowing a broad audience to witness the event. Limited-edition merchandise commemorating this special halftime show will be available at NFL Shops in Rio for fans to purchase.

This announcement follows the earlier confirmation of the Jonas Brothers’ performance at the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game on Thursday, September 10, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which will mark the first-ever NFL game in Australia. These international games and their star-studded halftime shows underscore the NFL's global expansion and its commitment to integrating local and international musical talent to enhance the fan experience worldwide.