Ricky Martin & Pedro Sampaio to Headline NFL Halftime Show in Rio: ‘There’s Nothing Quite Like the Energy of the Brazilian People’

Puerto Rican megastar Ricky Martin and Brazilian DJ, singer and producer Pedro Sampaio will perform at the halftime show of the 2026 NFL Rio Game in Brazil on Sept. 27, the NFL’s biggest international season to date, Billboard can exclusively announce Monday (Aug. 17).

The Baltimore Ravens will face the Dallas Cowboys that Sunday at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium, marking the first NFL regular-season game in the city. The performance will be the second of a record seven halftime shows presented by American Express during the NFL’s 2026 International Games, which will span seven countries and four continents. The game will begin at 4:25 p.m. ET.

“I grew up in Rio de Janeiro, seeing Maracanã Stadium as a place where history was made,” Sampaio said in a statement. “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. “Maracanã is part of the history of both sports and music, and being part of this moment — especially at the first NFL game in my hometown — is something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”

The Brazilian funk artist has amassed more than 14 billion audio and video streams worldwide, according to a press release, and more than 11 million monthly Spotify listeners. He has collaborated with Latin music giants like Anitta, Pabllo Vittar, J Balvin and Nicky Jam, and was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2024.

Martin, who has sold more than 95 million albums worldwide throughout his three-decade career — and achieved a historic Hot 100 No. 1 with “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” among other chart achievements — said the performance will bring him back to “one of my favorite places in the world: Rio.” “Being part of another historic NFL event alongside Pedro Sampaio is incredibly exciting,” Martin added. “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.”

In February, Martin joined Bad Bunny during his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show to perform the chorus of Benito’s “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii.”

Tim Tubito, senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment at the NFL, stated, “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 channels GETV and sportv. Limited-edition merchandise commemorating the halftime show will be available at NFL Shops in Rio.

The announcement follows the previously confirmed performance of the Jonas Brothers at the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game on Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the first-ever NFL game in Australia.