Entertainment

Photo: Contributed - BANG Showbiz

Beyonce Knowles will perform at the half time show of the 2013 Super Bowl.

The 'Love on Top' singer will be the musical act at the NFL Super Bowl XVLII, held in New Orleans on February 3 next year.

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest TV events in the US, watched by an estimated 114 million people. An official announcement confirming Beyonce's performance is expected tomorrow (Oct 17th).

This will mark the second time the singer has appeared at the Super Bowl, after she sung the US national anthem in 2004 in her hometown of Houston when the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers.

Traditionally, Super Bowl performers are joined by special guests, and although nothing has been confirmed, fans will expect to see cameos from Beyonce's husband, rapper Jay-Z, and her former Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.

Madonna performed at this year's half time show, which proved controversial when special guest star M.I.A. swore by sticking her middle finger up to a live TV camera.

Madonna - who was also joined on stage by rapper Nicki Minaj and pop duo LMFAO - later said she wasn't impressed with M.I.A.'s actions.

She said: "I wasn't happy about it. I understand it's kind of punk rock and everything, but to me there was such a feeling of love and good energy and positivity, it seemed negative.

"It's one of those things, it's such a teenager. In a way, kind of irrelevant kind of thing to do. There was such a feeling of love and unity there, what was the point? It was just out of place."

TV station NBC Sports issued an apology over M.I.A.'s move, calling it a "spontaneous gesture that our delay system caught late."