Burna Boy's Two Big Nights: NFL Halftime in Paris, Then the Ballon d'Or Stage in London

On Sunday night he was in front of some 80,000 people in Paris, giving an American football crowd "Last Last." By Monday night he was in London, in a suit, on the stage of football's biggest awards ceremony. Burna Boy spent the nights of 25th and 26th October in two of the most unlikely rooms an African artiste could be asked into, and he looked at home in both.

Paris: The Halftime Show

On 25th October, Burna Boy headlined the halftime show at the NFL's first regular-season game in France, held at the Stade de France. He performed 'Ye', 'On The Low' and 'Last Last', and French singer Yseult joined him on stage. The game itself went to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who beat the New Orleans Saints. The booking had been announced on 17th September.

The stadium was familiar ground. In April 2025, he became the first African artiste to headline and sell out the Stade de France, which holds 80,698 people.

London: The Ballon d'Or

The next night, at the 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony at the London Palladium, Burna Boy presented the Socrates Award to Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka. The award, created in 2022 by France Football and Peace and Sport, recognises footballers who use their influence for humanitarian causes. Saka was honoured for his work with the charity BigShoe, which funded 120 surgical operations for children in Nigeria.

Burna Boy also used the moment to mention his football academy in Nigeria, which he described as something he started a few years ago to support football culture back home.

Burna Boy and Bukayo Saka

Why the Two Nights Belong Together

Read side by side, the two nights tell one story. An NFL halftime show puts Afrobeats in front of people who came for something else. A Ballon d'Or stage puts an African artiste in the middle of a sport that Nigerians love and have long played at the highest level. Saka, whose parents are Nigerian, was handed his award by a Nigerian artiste whose music had filled a stadium in Paris the night before.

That is a different kind of reach from a sold-out concert. Burna Boy is no longer only being booked for his own audience. He is being booked to stand for something larger, and his calendar keeps pointing outward: PINCHED has already covered his Rolling Loud India date in Mumbai on 12th December.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Did Burna Boy Do at the 2026 Ballon d'Or?

He presented the Socrates Award to Bukayo Saka at the 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony at the London Palladium on 26th October.

Why Did Bukayo Saka Win the Socrates Award?

For his charitable work with BigShoe, which funded 120 surgical operations for children in Nigeria.

Who Performed at the NFL Paris Game Halftime Show?

Burna Boy, with French singer Yseult joining him on stage, on 25th October at the Stade de France.

What Songs Did Burna Boy Perform in Paris?

'Ye', 'On The Low' and 'Last Last'.