Karol G Set to Make NFL and YouTube History With Halftime Performance in Brazil
Karol G is about to make sports and music history. The GRAMMY-winning Colombian superstar will headline the halftime show during YouTube’s first exclusive live NFL broadcast, according to a joint announcement from YouTube and the NFL.
The game streams live from Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, September 5, during the Week 1 matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. It will be free to watch for football fans worldwide on YouTube and YouTube TV, with no cable or streaming subscription required.
Coverage begins with YouTube’s pre-game show at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET, with kickoff at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET.
Karol G says the NFL stage is a dream come true
In a statement shared by the NFL, Karol G said, “I’m so excited to be part of YouTube’s first-ever NFL live broadcast; it’s truly an honor and a moment I’m so proud to be part of. I’ve watched many NFL halftime shows over the years, and now having this opportunity to bring my music to this global stage means the world to me. I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone in São Paulo and fans all around the world.”
Her performance will be part of a larger celebration of Latin American sounds, with the NFL confirming Brazilian star Ana Castela will perform the country’s national anthem alongside GRAMMY and Emmy-nominated composer Kamasi Washington, who will perform the U.S. national anthem.
A career already breaking records
A member of YouTube’s “Billion-View Club,” Karol G has nearly 30 billion views on her own channel. Her latest album, Tropicoqueta, has surpassed one billion streams across platforms. The music video for “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” has earned over 947 million views on YouTube.
According to the NFL’s announcement, Tropicoqueta marked Karol G’s third consecutive Top 3 entry on the Billboard 200 and her fourth consecutive No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart. It also earned the largest streaming week of the year for a Latin album by a woman.
Billboard reported that she broke her own record on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart by landing 20 songs simultaneously, including 18 debuts from Tropicoqueta.
YouTube calls the event a “landmark moment”
Angela Courtin, VP of Sports and Entertainment Marketing at YouTube, described the broadcast as “a landmark moment in our partnership with the NFL, where the worlds of football, music, and creators will powerfully collide.”
Courtin said the event is about “more than just a game” and called it “a statement that the future of live sports and entertainment is global and connected.”
Tim Tubito, the NFL’s Senior Director of Global Game Presentation and Entertainment, added that bringing Karol G to the São Paulo game was intentional. “We’re thrilled to welcome Karol G and a fantastic lineup of local talent to the 2025 São Paulo game, honoring the sounds of Latin America, and delivering those tuning in globally a historic performance on YouTube.”
Karol G’s NFL Halftime Show Is Set to Reach Millions Worldwide
This isn’t just another stage for Karol G. It’s a chance to perform for a global audience during a broadcast that will be free and accessible to millions. The NFL’s statement noted that last year, audiences watched over 350 million hours of official NFL content on YouTube.
The halftime show comes at a high point in her career. Just last week, as fiercebymitu.com reported, her Netflix documentary Mañana Fue Muy Bonito became the most-watched Spanish-language documentary on the platform, reaching 13 million views globally.
From topping streaming charts to headlining historic live events, Karol G is shaping a global moment that merges Latin music, sports, and culture—this time from the center of an NFL field in Brazil.
