Super Bowl LX is shaping up to be a celebration of both football and music history, and this year, the energy will begin long before the first snap. On February 8, 2026, the legendary punk-rock trio Green Day will take center stage at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, kicking off the official opening ceremony for the NFL’s 60th championship game. The anticipation is palpable, as fans prepare to witness a rare crossover of rock and sports pageantry, with Green Day’s performance scheduled for 6 p.m. Eastern Time (3 p.m. Pacific), just half an hour before the Seattle Seahawks face the New England Patriots in the battle for the Lombardi Trophy.
This marks the first time Green Day—comprising Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool—has performed at the Super Bowl. While the halftime show often garners the most attention, this year the NFL has chosen to spotlight the East Bay natives as the opening act, honoring their hometown connection to the Bay Area and their enduring influence on the music scene. According to The Sporting News, the NFL’s decision to feature Green Day is a nod to both their local roots and their global appeal: “Celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history with Green Day as a hometown band, while honoring the NFL legends who've helped define this sport, is an incredibly powerful way to kick off Super Bowl 60,” said NFL events executive Tim Tubito.
The opening ceremony is set to be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock, with Spanish-language coverage available on Telemundo and Universo. For those who prefer streaming, the performance will be accessible via major live TV streaming services that carry NBC, such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, and Sling TV. So, whether you’re a cable loyalist or a cord-cutter, catching Green Day’s set should be a breeze.
Green Day’s slot comes before the traditional pregame festivities, which include Charlie Puth singing the national anthem, Brandi Carlile performing “America the Beautiful,” and Coco Jones delivering “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The band’s appearance will serve as the first major musical act of the day, setting a high-octane tone for the hours of spectacle that follow. As Bolavip notes, this early-evening performance marks the moment Super Bowl Sunday truly gets underway, fusing tradition and showmanship in a way that only the NFL can orchestrate.
The performance is more than just a concert—it’s a tribute. As part of the NFL’s 60th anniversary celebration, Green Day will help honor generations of past Super Bowl MVPs, who will be recognized on the field during the ceremony. This blend of music and football history is intended to evoke nostalgia and pride among fans, players, and legends alike. “We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard!” said Billie Joe Armstrong via The Associated Press. “We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun! Let’s get loud!”
For Green Day, this appearance is a unique milestone. Although they’ve played to massive crowds at festivals like Coachella and iconic venues such as the Milton Keynes National Bowl in the UK, the Super Bowl audience is something else entirely. The game is one of the most-watched annual broadcasts worldwide, and the opening ceremony is expected to draw tens of millions of viewers. According to Heavy.com, the band’s set will be a high-energy, punk-fueled mix of their most popular songs, promising to ignite the stadium and living rooms across the globe.
What can fans expect from the setlist? While the NFL hasn’t officially confirmed the songs, multiple sources—including NFL.com and Audio Ink Radio—report that Green Day will perform a selection of their biggest hits: “Basket Case,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “Holiday,” “American Idiot,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” and “21 Guns.” These anthems have defined the band’s career, with “Basket Case” racking up over 1.5 billion streams on Spotify, “American Idiot” at 1.3 billion, and both “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” surpassing a billion streams each. The setlist is designed to resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers, ensuring the performance is as memorable as the game itself.
Green Day’s journey to this stage is a testament to their staying power. Formed in 1987 in the East Bay area of California, the band broke through to mainstream success with their 1994 album “Dookie,” which brought punk music to a wider audience. As Billie Joe Armstrong told Esquire in a 2024 interview, “When we first started playing together, there was a big trend of who can play the fastest. And it was like, ‘Well, I don’t want to do that.’ That’s not really musical for me. It became almost a bit macho, which is something we were definitely trying to get away from.” Their approach—melding melody with punk’s raw energy—helped redefine the genre and inspired a new generation of musicians.
Despite their global fame, Green Day has never performed at a Super Bowl broadcast before. They’ve never been the central halftime act, and this opening ceremony marks their first official role in the NFL’s biggest event. The band’s participation is seen by some as a “first crossover between rock music and sports,” according to Bolavip, bringing a fresh twist to the Super Bowl’s musical tradition.
As for the rest of the evening, fans can look forward to a halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny, the chart-topping reggaeton superstar. The halftime performance will take place after the second quarter, with Bad Bunny promising, “The world will dance,” and calling for unity despite some criticism from politicians and others. There are no plans for Green Day to join Bad Bunny on stage, as their set is reserved exclusively for the opening ceremony, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The NFL’s decision to feature Green Day is not just about drawing in local fans or celebrating the league’s history. It’s about creating a collective moment—a shared celebration that bridges generations, genres, and traditions. “As we work alongside NBC Sports for this opening ceremony, we look forward to creating a collective celebration for fans in the stadium and around the world,” said Tim Tubito, the NFL’s senior director of global event presentation, music, and entertainment.
With the stage set, the guitars tuned, and anticipation building, Green Day’s Super Bowl debut promises to be a defining moment for the band and for Super Bowl LX. Whether you’re tuning in for the football, the music, or the spectacle, one thing’s for sure: this year’s opening ceremony will be loud, proud, and unforgettable.