NE-YO to Sing the National Anthem at World Series Game 4

R&B singer NE-YO will perform the national anthem before Game 4 of the 2026 World Series on Tuesday, 27 October, at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay. MLB confirmed the booking in a press release on ceremonial and off-field activities for the game.

The game is set for 8 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on FOX. The Milwaukee Brewers are trying to complete a sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, meaning they would win all four games of the best-of-seven series. A Brewers win would give the franchise its first World Series championship. It would also end a long wait: 2026 is the Brewers' first trip to the World Series since 1982, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

NE-YO is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter. He released the country-inspired album Highway 79 in July. Before this game, he has sung the national anthem at the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears Thanksgiving game in 2021, and the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament final in Las Vegas in 2023, where the Indiana Pacers played the Los Angeles Lakers.

Each game of this year's series has opened with a different singer. Mickey Guyton sang the anthem before Game 1, Kylie Cantrall before Game 2, and Carly Pearce before Game 3. NE-YO is the fourth performer in that run.

Ceremonial first pitches are part of the same routine. Former Rays third baseman Evan Longoria is due to throw out the first pitch of Game 4, an honorary opening throw that is separate from the game's play. NE-YO joined MLB Central to talk about singing the anthem ahead of the game, according to a video MLB posted on Monday.

If the Rays win Game 4, the series goes on. Game 5 would be played on Wednesday, 28 October, at Tropicana Field.