The professional football championship, more commonly known as the Super Bowl, is still months away, but that doesn’t stop fans from theorizing about which two teams will face off and who will perform the halftime show. On Kalshi, the top U.S. prediction market platform, you can now place real money trades on who will headline the halftime show of the most anticipated sporting event of the year.
With preseason football just kicking off, we take a look at some early frontrunners and their odds to perform in the coveted Super Bowl 60 halftime slot, according to prediction markets. Note that the chart below will update with current odds at Kalshi as rumors fly and forecasts shift throughout the NFL season.
Who is performing at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2026?
Early predictions for who will headline the Big Game halftime show are mostly speculative rather than based on many facts. Most traders early in this market are simply betting on current artist popularity and possible nationwide appeal. As of Aug. 1, there are more than 20 options listed on the Kalshi market for “who will headline the pro football championship.”
Keep in mind that with only $2,000 in trading volume so far, the market will need much more liquidity to arrive at accurate price discovery; meaning, don’t read too much into the early odds. That said, early mispricings could also signal some intriguing and potentially lucrative trading opportunities on long shots that could become legitimate contenders.
Let’s take a look at some early favorites.
JAY-Z
Odds: 26% chance (35¢)
Case For: Jay-Z is one of the greatest rappers of all time. In recent years, rappers like Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, and Eminem graced the Super Bowl Halftime stage. Jay-Z is definitely in a similar caliber, if not greater. He has sold over 140 million records and has more hits than most hip-hop artists. Beyoncé was the headliner in the past; why not have her husband, Jay-Z, do it now?
Case Against: If you look at previous years, Rihanna is a R&B pop star, Usher is the R&B king, and Kendrick Lamar is at the top of the hip-hop industry currently. The organizers of the event may want to have a large pop artist to differentiate from the mostly R&B/hip-hop stars of recent years.
Post Malone
Odds: 30% chance (30¢)
Case For: In his close to fifteen-year career, Post Malone has sold over 80 million records globally. He has 18 Grammy nominations, six No. 1 hits, and three No. 1 albums. He also holds the Guinness World Record for most RIAA Diamond singles with nine in total. He is a certified hitmaker and has made songs that are known all around the nation.
Case Against: Compared to artists like Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone is relatively new. He’s only been around since 2011, while every other recent performer started in the 90s or 2000s. The only recent artist to have started relatively recently as well was the Weeknd in 2009. And while Post Malone has 18 Grammy nominations, he has yet to win one. But overall, his lack of two to three decades in the space may make him seem too inexperienced for the producers of the Super Bowl.
Miley Cyrus
Odds: 18% chance (25¢)
Case For: Miley Cyrus has been famous (and sometimes infamous) for over two decades. Despite only being in her early 30s, Cyrus has been on our screens and in our pop culture since her days on Hannah Montana. Since then, she has released five No. 1 albums and 15 Top 10 albums, along with two No. 1 hits. While her awards and music performances pale in comparison with those of artists like Jay-Z, Cyrus has already been recognized as a Disney Legend and will be receiving a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
Case Against: While Cyrus has numerous hits from Wrecking Ball to Flowers, she seems unlikely to be asked to perform at such a large stage. Besides seeming to be too young to be on the stage, her music likely doesn’t reach audiences in the older demographics. Cyrus certainly has the star power to bring an audience in her age group and younger but this might not be a strong enough pull.
Bad Bunny
Odds: 21% chance (21¢)
Case For: Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican rapper who is largely credited with bringing Latin music to mainstream radio. He is massively popular. From 2020 to 2022, Bad Bunny was Spotify’s most-streamed artist and became the first non-English language American star to get the title. And his album Un Verano Sin Ti is Spotify’s most-streamed album of all time with over 20 billion listens. Bad Bunny’s audience is global, and in 2020, the Super Bowl Halftime Show was headlined by Latin artists Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
Case Against: Similar to Post Malone, he has a more recent start in 2013, which may make him seem too young and inexperienced for the coveted gig. He’s been on the scene for only about a decade, and this may worry producers who may want an artist who has music that will capture a wider age demographic.
Sabrina Carpenter
Odds: 19% chance (18¢)
Case For: Sabrina Carpenter has had a very successful last year and a half. She’s blown up with hits like Espresso, Please Please Please, and most recently, Manchild. She has achieved two No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard 200 in the last year. Her success is undeniable, and she just won several Grammys at the February ceremony.
Case Against: Despite being a massive pop star, she lacks enough experience to perform at the Super Bowl. Of course, Carpenter has been a performer for many years, but she only achieved mainstream success last year. Based on past performer history, Carpenter is very unlikely to be the headliner at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.
Morgan Wallen
Odds: 15% chance (15¢)
Case For: Wallen has had a very successful last two years. Despite numerous controversies, his music continues to sell, and he is undoubtedly one of the most popular male country artists today. His third studio album, 2023’s One Thing at a Time, spent 19 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200. In the last two years, he’s had four No. 1s, and he has 18 top 10 hits overall. There is no doubt that he’s a popular artist.
Case Against: A country singer hasn’t performed as the headliner since 2003’s Shania Twain. This might mean that they are in search of a country singer after all this time, or the producers may fear that country music lacks the broad appeal of rock, pop, and hip-hop. Moreover, the careers of most headliners span decades of hits and reach a certain icon status. Wallen may not be at that level yet.
Long shots with a chance
Dua Lipa
Odds: 10% chance (15¢)
Dua Lipa is a global pop star with three Grammys, massive hits like Don’t Start Now, and billions of Spotify streams, with rumors suggesting she’s been offered the headlining gig. She’s immensely popular with young audiences, but her lack of a Billboard Hot 100 or 200 number-one hit may hurt her chances. While she fits the profile of a major pop headliner, another huge hit before the end of 2025 could solidify her position.
Drake
Odds: 15% chance (20¢)
After Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 performance, many see Drake as a strong 2026 contender. His decade-long run of hits, 13 No. 1 singles, 80 Top 10s, five Grammys, and massive popularity make him an undeniable draw. However, his public feud with Lamar could make producers cautious—while it might spark huge attention, it also risks alienating Lamar’s fans.
Taylor Swift
Odds: 10% chance (15¢)
Without a doubt, Taylor Swift is the biggest pop star in the world currently. Her Era’s Tour is the highest-grossing tour of all time, making over $2 billion. She’s only 35 but has 14 Grammy wins, 58 Grammy nominations, 12 No. 1 hits, and 14 No. 1 albums. She’s undeniably a great choice for the Super Bowl; however, she has reportedly turned down the offer multiple times in the past. However, if she ever changes her mind, she would be a great choice.
Ariana Grande
Odds: 10% chance (15¢)
Ariana Grande is one of the highest-selling artists in the world, with many hits in previous years. Moreover, she has had a huge 2024 and 2025, which includes Wicked and led to her first Oscar nomination. However, similar to artists like Bad Bunny, she is relatively young.
Chappell Roan
Odds: 9% chance (9¢)
Similar to Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan had a breakthrough in 2024 after years of hustling in the music industry. And while she’s had several major hits, she has nowhere near the amount needed to be at the same caliber as past Halftime show headliners.
Foo Fighters
Odds: 10% chance (15¢)
The Foo Fighters have the icon status producers often seek, with Dave Grohl’s fame, numerous hits, 15 Grammys, and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. However, recent headliners have skewed heavily toward pop and rap, with rock acts largely absent since The Who in 2010. The only exception was Coldplay in 2016, who lean more toward pop than traditional rock. This trend may work against the Foo Fighters’ chances.
Last 10 Super Bowl halftime shows
The last 10 Super Bowl halftime shows were all headlined by iconic singers who had made their mark in their respective genres.
| Super Bowl Year | Headliner |
| 2025 | Kendrick Lamar |
| 2024 | Usher |
| 2023 | Rihanna |
| 2022 | Dr. Dre
Snoop Dogg Eminem Mary J. Blige Kendrick Lamar |
| 2021 | The Weeknd |
| 2020 | Shakira
Jennifer Lopez |
| 2019 | Maroon 5 |
| 2018 | Justin Timberlake |
| 2017 | Lady Gaga |
| 2016 | Coldplay |
Over the last 10 years, three of the artists were R&B/hip-hop, and the rest were pop artists or bands. Of course, Coldplay incorporates rock elements, and The Weeknd and Rihanna also include other genres. Regardless, we’ve seen those two main genres dominate in the last decade, which may suggest which artist(s) would be most likely to headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.
Who is worthy of the Big Game stage?
While the 2026 Super Bowl is still months away, prediction markets are already reflecting the ongoing debate about which artists have the star power and broad appeal needed for the Big Game halftime stage. Based on recent trends favoring pop and hip-hop headliners, the final choice will likely come down to an artist who can deliver both mainstream recognition and a memorable performance for the millions watching worldwide.
