Top 5 artists who could perform at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show

We’re less than five months from Super Bowl LX, set for Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. While the NFL has yet to announce a headliner, the speculation is running hot.

Past halftime shows have featured Rihanna, Usher, and Kendrick Lamar. This year, the buzz centers on some of the biggest names in music, from global icons to Bay Area favorites.

Taylor Swift’s connection to the NFL fuels rumors

Taylor Swift is the most obvious candidate. She has never played the Super Bowl halftime show, but her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has made her a fixture at NFL games. On the New Heights podcast in August, she joked about halftime shows while promoting her upcoming album The Life of a Showgirl, due Oct.

3.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell added fuel to the fire in a Sept. 3 appearance on NBC’s Today. “We would always love to have Taylor play. She is a special, special talent, and obviously, she would be welcome at any time,” Goodell said. While he stopped short of confirming, he admitted it was “a maybe.”

Adele is reportedly in talks with Roc Nation and the NFL for the halftime stage

A Sept. 18 report from Page Six claimed Adele is “in talks” to headline the 2026 halftime show. Sources said she has not been booked yet, but negotiations are ongoing with Roc Nation, which produces the event.

Adele previously told fans she turned down an offer in 2017, saying during a Los Angeles concert, “First of all, I’m not doing the Super Bowl. I mean, that show is not about music. I can’t dance or anything like that. They were very kind, they did ask me, but I did say no.” Pepsi and the NFL later denied that an official offer had been made.Her ties to the sports world are stronger now. She is engaged to Rich Paul, one of the most powerful agents in the industry, and she has attended the game in past years, even quipping in 2024, “Last year I went, obviously I didn’t go for the football at all.

I went to watch Rihanna.”

Miley Cyrus has the career highs and NFL history to headline the halftime show

Miley Cyrus is another strong contender. She earned her first Grammy in 2024 for “Flowers,” one of the year’s biggest singles, and released a deluxe version of her album Something Beautiful in 2025.Her history with the NFL includes a performance at the 2021 TikTok Tailgate ahead of Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Fla., where she shared the stage with Joan Jett and Billy Idol. With nearly 20 years of hits and a broad fan base, Cyrus could carry a halftime show on her own.

Metallica and Green Day are Bay Area legends with a hometown advantage

With the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, local rock giants Metallica and Green Day are both in the mix. Metallica has long been considered one of the best live acts in the world. A setlist including “Enter Sandman” and “Master of Puppets” would turn halftime into a spectacle unlike any other.Green Day, formed in Berkeley, Calif., remains active and relevant. They headlined Coachella in 2025 and played a benefit show with Billie Eilish earlier this year.

Their pop-punk catalog would bring a different energy to the halftime stage.

Justin Bieber’s comeback makes him a wildcard for the 2026 halftime show

Justin Bieber has been away from the stage since his 2023 tour was canceled due to Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. His July release Swag marked his return, and he has slowly been re-emerging in public. The halftime stage would be a massive platform for his comeback.At 31, Bieber is still young enough to draw a new generation of fans while carrying nearly two decades of chart success. His name has surfaced repeatedly in speculation, and his live return would be a storyline the NFL could capitalize on.