The iconic boy band who want to headline the 2027 Halftime Show

The Backstreet Boys have never been shy about dreaming big. Now they want the biggest stage in American entertainment, according to EOnline. While wrapping their “Into The Millennium” residency in Las Vegas, the group made it clear that they want to headline the 2027 Super Bowl Halftime Show in Los Angeles.

AJ McLean sparked the moment during a Feb. 11 show at the Sphere. In a fan-captured clip, he asked the crowd, “What do you guys think? Backstreet Boys: 2027 Super Bowl Halftime. Let’s make it happen.” He pointed out that the game will take place in Los Angeles, calling it “right down the street,” and urged fans to push the idea forward.

The pitch did not come out of nowhere. The group recently appeared in two commercials during the 2026 Super Bowl broadcast, including a T-Mobile spot built around “I Want It That Way” and a Coinbase ad featuring a karaoke-style rendition of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” The placements reminded viewers how deeply their catalog still resonates.

Revisiting a Missed Opportunity

The band’s renewed interest carries added weight because they once passed on the chance. Nick Carter revealed in a 2021 interview with Entertainment Tonight that the group declined the 2001 halftime headlining offer and instead performed the national anthem. He explained that they admired Whitney Houston’s iconic rendition and chose to honor that moment rather than take the halftime slot. Looking back, he called the anthem performance memorable and said they did a “really good job.”

That 2001 Super Bowl halftime stage featured *NSYNC alongside Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly. Carter praised *NSYNC’s performance and noted he would welcome a future collaboration. He described the late ’90s era as a “beautiful time” and suggested fans crave that feeling again, especially after recent global challenges.

AJ echoed that openness last year, telling E! News that *NSYNC has not toured in more than two decades. He added that no one knows what the future holds, leaving the door open for a joint moment that would tap directly into nostalgia.

For now, the Backstreet Boys continue to campaign with confidence. They have the hits, the history and the visibility. Whether the NFL answers their call remains to be seen, but one thing stands clear: they want halftime history, and they want it in 2027.