“‘This Moment Doesn’t Belong to Football… It Belongs to a Voice That Makes America Stop.’” — Before the first ball was thrown, Netflix delivered the biggest blow of the Christmas season by handing the NFL Christmas Game Day opening to Kelly Clarkson. The stadium lights hadn’t even lit up yet, but millions of screens were already silent as the music drowned out the cheers. This wasn’t just an opening game, but a bold declaration marking the official entry of the streaming era into the hallowed ground of football. This Christmas didn’t begin with a collision — it began with a note that gave viewers goosebumps. And when Kelly Clarkson sang, the game seemed to be won from the very first minute.

Kelly Clarkson is giving fans a festive surprise this holiday season.

It was announced on Thursday, December 11, that Clarkson will kick off Netflix’s NFL Christmas Football Game Day with a special opening performance. She’ll take the stage on Christmas Day, December 25, performing her beloved holiday hit “Underneath the Tree” live just before the football action begins.

The Christmas Day doubleheader will air exclusively on Netflix. The first matchup features the Dallas Cowboys taking on the Washington Commanders, followed by the Detroit Lions facing the Minnesota Vikings.

After the announcement, Clarkson shared a video on social media expressing her excitement — and made it clear where her football loyalty lies.

“For Christmas this year, I’m very stoked,” she said. “Netflix asked me to open the football games on Christmas Day. There are two of them… and there’s one that really matters — the Cowboys game — and then there’s another one,” she joked.

While she kept most performance details under wraps, Clarkson did tease that the production will be a big one. “All the football players and cheerleaders are involved,” she shared. “It’s really, really cool.”

Pregame coverage begins at 11 a.m. ET, with kickoff for Cowboys vs. Commanders at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Lions vs. Vikings at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Clarkson’s role in Netflix’s Christmas Day broadcast feels like a natural fit. Over the years, she’s firmly established herself as a modern Christmas music staple. Her 2013 holiday album Wrapped in Red featured a mix of original songs and classic covers, while her 2021 release When Christmas Comes Around further cemented her seasonal dominance.

Fans are also used to seeing Clarkson deliver standout holiday performances on her daytime talk show, where she regularly performs classics like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “White Christmas,” and “Run Run Rudolph.”

With football, festive music, and Kelly Clarkson front and center, Netflix’s NFL Christmas Game Day is shaping up to be a holiday event viewers won’t want to miss.