Super Bowl 2016 halftime show: Coldplay announced as headliner

We don’t yet know who will actually be playing on the field in Super Bowl 50, but we do now have confirmation on who will be performing at halftime. The British rock band Coldplay will headline the show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Feb. 7, the league announced during halftime of Thursday Night Football.

This is the first time that Coldplay will perform on the NFL’s biggest stage. The timing couldn’t be better for Chris Martin and his band, which has a new album coming out on Friday, titled A Head Full of Dreams. They are also planning a North American tour after the show, hoping to ride the bump in ticket sales and popularity that usually accompanies such a major performance.

A report from the Wall Street Journal cited sources who said that Bruno Mars will be a part of the show. Mars performed at halftime of Super Bowl 48 two years ago, and there were rumors this fall that the league was trying to acquire his services again. Beyonce is also reportedly in talks to make an appearance as well. She is one of the guest artists on Coldplay’s new album and was the headliner at the halftime show in 2013.

That same WSJ report leaked the announcement before the NFL could make it early on Thursday.

Coldplay has a high standard to live up to, following the wildly entertaining spectacle put on by Katy Perry at last year’s Super Bowl.

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