Jay-Z has been announced as the headliner for the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show, scheduled for 14 February 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.The rapper – real name Shawn Carter – will finally take center stage at the biggest show on earth after the announcement was made during Monday Night Football between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.25-time Grammy Award winner Jay-Z is confirmed to headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime showGetty“From ‘Reasonable Doubt’ to standing on the Super Bowl halftime stage, this has been a journey,” said Jay-Z in a statement,“Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”Worth an estimated $2.8 billion per Forbes, the rapper is currently on the Jay-Z 30 Tour – his last full-scale tour came back in 2018 when he did the On the Run II Tour with his wife, Beyoncé – which celebrates the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt, and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint. To commemorate these milestones further, the release of Jay-Z in 8 – an eight-part docuseries done in conversation with producer Rick Rubin – launched last month. View Tweet: https://x.com/sc?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwPuck News were the first to report that the 25-time Grammy Award winner had chosen himself to perform on Valentine’s Day.The 56-year-old is one of the co-founders of Roc Nation, an American entertainment and media company, who penned a $5 million-a-year partnership with the NFL and Apple Music to produce the halftime show. As part of that deal, Jay-Z is the chief decision-maker and is responsible for selecting the artists who perform at the ‘Big Game’.He has been advising and co-producing the NFL’s flagship halftime spectacle in 2019.Jay-Z appears to have picked himself over the likes of Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber, with both having been linked to performing at SBLXI.NFL commissioner Goodell previously hushed rumors of Jay-Z being the headline actGettySinger Miley Cyrus is also reportedly in contention to headline in Los Angeles next FebruaryGettyNFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently hushed the reports after they leaked last week, insisting that a decision has not yet been made.However, after it was made official, Goodell said he “couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring”.“When we first reached an agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, I had just one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment felt right to him,” he said.Hov will have to seek to better the performance from Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny last year.The 32-year-old made Super Bowl history by being the first Latino artist to headline solo, whilst he also became the first to deliver his performance entirely in Spanish. Bad Bunny had Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin as guest stars, whilst there were also cameos from Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, and Karol G. He also utilized his 15 minutes to deliver the message that “the only thing more powerful than love is hate” as a counter response to the political division and anti-immigrant rhetoric under the current U.S. President – in front of President Trump himself. In doing so, his performance – which also included a real wedding – was hugely divisive among fans. Bad Bunny headlined last year’s halftime show in Santa Clara, CaliforniaESPN to broadcast Super Bowl for the first timeLooking ahead to Super Bowl LXI, it is ESPN – who paid $3 billion to acquire NFL Network back in March of this year – who will hold the broadcasting rights for the very first time. This will see the legendary – and lengthy – partnership of Troy Aikman and Joe Buck in the booth calling their seventh Super Bowl together, although the previous six came when the pair worked for FOX. Buck and Aikman calling Super Bowl LXI for ESPN will likely be the final chapter of their 25-year on-air partnershipGettyThe occasion could well mark the very last time that they are in the broadcast booth together following reports that tension has come between the pair stemming from Buck being extended by ESPN on a six-year deal worth an estimated $108 million. Aikman, on the other hand, will become a free agent after the 2026 season is all wrapped up.Sign up for talkSPORT Stateside, the YouTube channel dedicated to passionate US Sports fans. Will Gavin, Brian T. Smith, former NFL star Efe Obada and a collection of special guests debate the biggest talking points across the NFL, soccer, NBA and more.