Jay-Z will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show, ESPN announced Monday night, ending weeks of speculation about whether the rapper would perform himself.
The announcement came in a short black-and-white clip aired during halftime of the Dallas Cowboys–Philadelphia Eagles game. Jay-Z appeared seated in a stadium stand beneath the words, “Goat’s out of the bag.”
The show is scheduled for February 14 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Jay-Z said the performance would mark a milestone in his career: “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.”
GOAT’s out of the bag. @sc #AppleMusicHalftime #SBLXI https://t.co/6wnIqTKjZB
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) October 27, 2026
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Jay-Z’s performance had been years in the making. When the NFL partnered with Roc Nation to produce the halftime show, Goodell said, he asked Jay-Z to perform one day, “whenever the moment felt right.”
Jay-Z and Roc Nation signed a reported $5 million-a-year deal with the NFL in 2019 to oversee its music programming; the partnership was renewed in 2024. During that time, Jay-Z has selected performers including Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny.
The Daily Mail reported on September 18 that Jay-Z was considering himself for the show, but Roc Nation and the NFL denied the report at the time.