No one will ever accuse the NFL of being incapable of throwing a party. From the extravaganzas that the NFL Scouting Combine and annual NFL Draft have become to our great nation's unofficial holiday that we refer to as the Super Bowl, professional football certainly knows how to do it big. That reportedly won't change as the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers meet in Week 1 of the regular season to play in the first-ever game hosted in Brazil.
Philly and The Pack's 47th all-time meeting is part of a campaign the NFL and its fans have been enjoying for a while. The goal is to broaden pro football's reach to a larger audience. Adding a Brazilian pop star will certainly help in that regard as league offices announced recently that Anitta will be featured as a halftime performer.
Anitta's presence gives the Eagles-Packers Week 1 clash a Super Bowl feel.
They say the regular season is a race, not a marathon. Players and coaches must have short memories. Wins can't be celebrated too long, or teams will be ill-prepared for their next opponent. You never want an excruciating loss or a bad play in-game to resonate and lead to three more.
Concentration is key to long-term success.
Have you ever been to Brazil? Let's just say it's easy to lose focus. Extending halftime in the first game won't help matters.
The Birds have to keep all of this in mind during Week 1 of the regular season. Sure, they are professionals, but managing all of that will take tons of concentration. Trust us. Whoever walks out of this one as the victor will have certainly earned what will feel like two wins... But, then they will have to board a plane, fly home to the United States, and begin preparing for Week 2's opponent.
As fans, we all win though. Who doesn't want to see Anitta, right? She recently was asked about the opportunity.
""Growing up in Brazil has completely shaped my journey as an artist and of course, as a person, It means everything to be able to perform in São Paulo at the NFL's first game in Brazil, where I can bring fans around the world the excitement and joy of our amazing culture. It's really a dream come true to be a part of this moment."
Anitta's halftime show will also feature some of the artist's biggest hits and will be shown live across the NFL's world feed and local Brazilian game broadcasts. Fans in the U.S. can see highlights of the halftime show on NBC Peacock, with the full performance on NFL YouTube following the game.
The game will be played in São Paulo at Corinthians Arena. Showtime is Friday, Sept. 6 at 9:15 p.m. EST) at Corinthians Arena. Fans in Brazil can watch across RedeTV!, ESPN Brazil, CazéTV, and NFL Game Pass on DAZN. Fans in the U.S. can stream the game exclusively on Peacock.
Brazilian electronic music artist CAROLA will perform for the pregame show. Brazilian popstar Luísa Sonza will perform the Brazilian National Anthem while Hino Nacional Brasileiro and American-Brazilian singer Zeeba will perform the U.S. National Anthem before kickoff.
The NFL and Anitta will launch a campaign beginning on Sept. 1. Merchandise can be purchased at NFL Shop via Morumbi Shopping. Visa is also partnering as collectibles and merchandise can also be purchased on game day at Corinthians Arena.
