Carrie Underwood, Ludacris write song for Super Bowl

Carrie Underwood performs at the 2017 CMA Awards. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country star Carrie Underwood teamed up with Ludacris to co-write a new song, “The Champion,” which will open the Super Bowl on Feb. 4 airing on NBC.

The song and the accompanying video was released Friday. “The Champion,” also written by country songwriters Brett James and Chris DeStefano, will be incorporated into NBC Sports coverage of the 2018 Winter Games as well.

Underwood said in a statement that “our main focus was to celebrate athletes at the top of their game, but we also wanted the song to resonate with people in their everyday lives.”

Underwood has been performing the opening song for Sunday Night Football on NBC for the last five seasons.