What was the first song Ricky Martin played at halftime of Cowboys vs Ravens in Rio, Brazil?

The Cowboys and Ravens made history in Rio, but the halftime spotlight belonged to Ricky Martin and Pedro Sampaio. As the Maracana crowd erupted, the Puerto Rican’s opening move quickly became a key detail of the show.

By Ariadna Pinheiro

Updated on September 27, 2026 06:34PM EDT

**© Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images**Ricky Martin during the closing ceremony prior to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final

TheNFL’s first regular-season game in Rio had plenty of spectacle beyond the football itself. When the Cowboys and Ravens reached halftime at Maracana, Ricky Martin and DJ Pedro Sampaio took over the stage.

His appearance carried some extra weight after his surprise participation in the Super Bowl LX halftime show of Bad Bunny earlier in 2026. This time, the Puerto Rican superstar returned to an NFL stage as one of the main attractions.

+ Follow us

With a performance built around his catalog and Sampaio’s Brazilian sound, the opening moments quickly became one of the key details for fans looking back at the show. So, what was the first song the iconic singer played?

What was Ricky Martin’s first song at the NFL halftime show?

Ricky Martin opened the Cowboys vs. Ravens halftime show with “Pikito Pikito”. The performance brought him back to an NFL stage after his appearance during the Super Bowl LX halftime show earlier in 2026 with Bad Bunny.

This time, his set was part of the league’s first regular-season game in Rio. His opening track immediately established the direction of his set, before the singer moved into the rest of his performance.

With a catalog spanning more than three decades, the artist had several major hits available for a show designed for a massive international audience. This is also why rumors began circulating about him and the Super Bowl LXI.

Are the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders at every Cowboys game? Why they were in Rio, Brazil

The combination of his global hits and Sampaio’s Brazilian sound made the Maracana performance one of the central entertainment moments surrounding the Dallas Cowboys-Baltimore Ravens game.

Key takeaways

Ricky Martin opened the NFL halftime show in Rio with the song “Pikito Pikito”.
The performance took place during the halftime break at Maracana.
The show featured a collaborative performance alongside Brazilian DJ Pedro Sampaio.

Ariadna Pinheiro

Ariadna is a multisport journalist specialized in delivering key, high-value information across competitions, including tournament formats, rules, lineups and injury updates, while also producing evergreen content. Her career in journalism began in 2021 at Indie Emergente, a digital music magazine, where she honed her skills in writing and reporting. In 2023, she expanded her expertise by contributing to Spoiler Latinoamerica, creating general culture content, before joining Spoiler US in 2024 to focus on entertainment coverage. With almost six years of experience across different media outlets, Ariadna has developed strong expertise at the intersection of sports and entertainment, covering live events such as Super Bowls, FIFA World Cup opening and closing ceremonies, Olympic Games and UEFA Champions League finals, bringing depth, accuracy and real-time insight to her reporting.