Fatboy Slim made his Rock in Rio debut on 7 September, closing the festival's first weekend on the New Dance Order stage after decades of touring Brazil separately from the event. The British DJ shared the night's bill with Brazilian and international heavyweights including João Bosco, Gilberto Gil and Elton John, who came out of touring retirement for a one-off performance, making the closing electronic set a fitting capstone to a night spanning MPB, romance and rock.

Speaking to Billboard Brasil ahead of the show, Fatboy Slim described his long-standing affinity with Brazil in warm, humorous terms, and said he felt honoured but responsible representing British electronic music alongside Gil and Elton John. His set drew fans of all ages and blended classics such as "The Rockafeller Skank", "Right Here, Right Now" and "Praise You" with newer material, including his 2026 collaboration "Funk Drunk" with Brazilian artist Carola. The performance also recalled his legacy-defining Big Beach Boutique II show in Brighton in July 2002, which drew over 250,000 people and helped establish the DJ-as-headliner festival format that New Dance Order continues to echo.