U2 Returns to NFL Stage for Special Thanksgiving Eve Halftime Show

U2 performs during the NFL’s first Thanksgiving Eve halftime show on November 25.© X/@AppleMusic

More than two and a half decades after U2's iconic Super Bowl performance in 2002, it is set to return to the stage, delivering an unforgettable concert for the ages. The legendary Irish rock band will soon hold their first-ever halftime show during an NFL game that will take place on Thanksgiving Eve. According to the streaming giant, the musical event will happen on November 25, 2026, when the Green Bay Packers will host the Los Angeles Rams in the league's first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game. The news was revealed this past October 20 by Netflix.

Why U2's NFL return comes at a special time

The game will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. ET. Netflix will carry the game live, and the halftime show will give U2 a chance to mark 50 years as a band.

Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. first came together in Dublin in 1976. They marked the band's 50th anniversary in September by returning to Mount Temple Comprehensive School, where their story began. Their NFL appearance will add another major event to that year.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the band had spent decades playing to stadium crowds and making moments that people remember. He said the company was happy to bring that same energy to the NFL stage.

The choice fits Netflix's plan to make its football broadcasts bigger events. Beyoncé performed during its Christmas Day game in 2024, while Snoop Dogg led the holiday halftime show in 2025. U2 will now take the spotlight on a new date in the NFL calendar.

How U2's 2002 Super Bowl show made history

U2's first NFL halftime show came on February 3, 2002, at Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans. The New England Patriots faced the St. Louis Rams, just a few months after the September 11 attacks had shaken the United States.

Rather than make the show only about music, U2 used the stage to honor the victims. As the band played, their names appeared on a large screen. Bono then opened his jacket to reveal an American flag sewn inside. The moment had a meaning that is not limited to the game.

The band played three songs: “Beautiful Day,” “MLK” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” The Patriots won 20-17 after Adam Vinatieri kicked a 48-yard field goal as time ran out.

U2 also performed before a New Orleans Saints game in 2006 to mark the team's return after Hurricane Katrina. Their 2026 show will be their next NFL appearance and will come as the band prepares to release its 16th studio album, Carnaval de Luz, on November 13. U2 has released three songs from the album and plans to tour worldwide in 2027.