Football season just kicked off, and it’s already time to start thinking about Super Bowl LXI — specifically the halftime performer, which is typically announced in late September.
At the top of this year’s short list, according to a Tuesday, September 15 report on TMZ, are Justin Bieber and Harry Styles.
Jay-Z, whose company, Roc Nation, produces the 15-minute show, has the final say, and neither of the performers, both 32, has been approached yet, according to the outlet.
But sources told TMZ that the “Sorry” singer — who turned down a chance to join his mentor, Usher, at the 2024 show — and the former One Direction member, who famously has a Green Bay Packers tattoo, are both unlikely to accept the gig.
The NFL famously only pays SAG-AFTRA union rates to performers, per Sports Illustrated, which adds up to about $1,800, including performance time.
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The real reward is exposure. Following Bad Bunny‘s performance at the game on February 8, which was viewed by more than 128 million people, his music had its second-most successful day of streaming, per Billboard, along with the most download sales. In the two days after the Super Bowl, his streaming numbers were up 67 percent compared to previous days.
The singers have plenty to promote. Styles just released a new album in March and will be on his Together Together World Tour until next August.
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Bieber, who returned to the stage for the first time in four years in early 2026, per Rolling Stone, performed at both Coachella and the first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show in July. He has also reportedly been teasing a Swag III album with new billboards (via an X post by Justin Bieber Analytics), even though no release date has been set.
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If either of them does agree, they might have to make it a date night: Super Bowl will be held on February 14, 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.