Madonna has likened her upcoming Super Bowl XLVI performance to 'delivering a sermon'.

The singing sensation will take to the stage during half-time at the iconic American football event, which is taking place on Sunday.

She has been frantically rehearsing and although she is prepared, Madonna admits the thought of performing in front of so many people is terrifying. Last year's game was viewed by an estimated 111 million people.

'Oh my god, I'm so nervous. You have no idea,' she tells talk show host Anderson Cooper, in a show which will hit screens on Thursday.

'First of all, it's the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is kind of like the holiest of holy in America. I'm going to come in halfway between the church experience and I'm going to have to deliver a sermon that's going to have to be very impactful.

'I have to put on the greatest show on earth in the middle of the greatest show on earth.'

Madonna is not just worried about hitting her notes and remembering her dance moves. She is fearful of overrunning or making a mistake when setting up her stage.

'I have eight minutes to set it up and seven minutes to take it down. I have 12 minutes to put on the greatest show on earth. OK, that's a lot of pressure,' she admitted.

The star is remaining tight-lipped about what she will perform this weekend, although it's thought Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. will join her for a rendition of her new track Give Me All Your Luvin'.

TMZ claims to have heard she will be singing Vogue from several sources.

Madonna has been making waves in the movie world of late, thanks to her directorial effort W.E. It follows the love affair between Britain's King Edward VIII and American divorcee Wallis Simpson, who he abdicated the throne to marry.

The star initially convinced her teenage daughter Lourdes to appear in the picture, although her performance didn't make it to the big screen.

'There was a scene where she played Wally as a young girl. And I just kind of dragged her in at the last minute. It was quite unfair of me what I did and what I asked her to do,' she explained to MTV.

'But she was really great and then I ended up cutting her out of the film. Ruthless, I know. "I said, 'Sorry babe, you're on the cutting room floor.' She took it like a champ.'