NFL announces U2 will play in first Thanksgiving Eve halftime show
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Oct 20, 2026, 10:46 AM ET
The first Thanksgiving Eve NFL game will include a legendary musical guest.
On Tuesday, the NFL announced that U2 will play the halftime show during the Nov. 25 matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams, airing on Netflix. The band will take the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which will also be the site of Super Bowl LXI -- which is still waiting on a musical guest confirmation for its halftime show.
U2 played the Super Bowl XXXVI halftime show in 2002, several months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Lead singer Bono wore a jacket with an American flag lining, and the band played three songs: "Beautiful Day," "MLK" and "Where the Streets Have No Name."
Thanksgiving Day has often been a prime spot for stunning halftime show performances. Dolly Parton dressed up in a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit for her performance in 2023, Mariah Carey was carried onto the field by musclemen in 2005's game in Detroit, and Shaboozey wore a Detroit Lions jacket in his show in 2024. Netflix has also made its halftime shows a priority, bringing Beyoncé to its Christmas Day game in 2024 and Snoop Dogg in 2025.
The band's sixteenth studio album, "Carnaval de Luz," will be released on Nov. 13. U2 has released three singles from it already: "Street of Dreams," "Silencio" and "The Greatest Show on Earth." U2 is planning a world tour in support of the album in 2027.
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