Latin superstar Bad Bunny has been announced as the performer at the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The move marks a significant milestone for the representation of Latin music on one of the world’s largest entertainment stages. It has also been met with swift backlash from the MAGA movement.
Newsweek has reached out to the NFL and Roc Nation, the executive producer of the halftime show, outside of regular working hours via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Bad Bunny’s selection comes hot on the heels of a massive year for the 31-year-old, who was born and raised in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Long credited with helping to popularize Spanish-language rap music, this year he released his seventh album and completed a historic 30-date residency in San Juan.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show is a massive cultural event and generally draws more than 100 million viewers, providing mass global exposure for artists.
Bad Bunny, real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and previously spoke out about avoiding U.S. performances due to concerns over ICE raids. That he will perform at the Super Bowl on one of the world’s most prominent cultural stages has thus sparked conversation. Bad Bunny sings in Spanish and has called his upcoming Super Bowl show a victory for “my people, my culture, and our history.”
What To Know
The announcement was met with vocal backlash from MAGA voices, who have been critical of Super Bowl performers and the NFL more broadly in recent years, criticizing it as “woke.”
Robby Starbuck, a conservative social media activist and former music video director, wrote in a post on X, which as of press time has been viewed over 270,000 times, “Is it that hard to pick a unifying music act who doesn’t want to peddle woke propaganda? Does this guy really scream American football to anyone? Be for real with me. No one thinks he does. This isn’t about music, it’s about putting a guy on stage who hates Trump and MAGA.”
Meanwhile, the media personality Benny Johnson wrote on X, “The NFL is self-destructing year after year,” in a post that has been viewed 1.5 million times.
The response from MAGA is unsurprising, as the NFL has frequently become a flash point in online culture wars over the past few years.
This year, a high-profile controversy arose over some NFL teams having male cheerleaders, and backlash ensued regarding this year’s Super Bowl performer, Kendrick Lamar. Following his performance, the Federal Complaints Commission (FCC) was hit with complaints about the rapper’s halftime show, with some people saying it was racist towards white people.
And while people have been vocally critical of Bad Bunny’s upcoming halftime performance, this sentiment is far from universal online, with many sharing praise and excited responses to the news of his performance.
What People Are Saying
Bad Bunny, in a statement issued after his Super Bowl performance was announced: “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown…this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”
Jay-Z, the artist and founder of Roc Nation, said in a statement that what Bad Bunny has “done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom, in a post on X viewed over 900,000 times: “California is excited to welcome you to Super Bowl LX.”
The Redheaded Libertarian, in a post on X viewed over 70,000 times: “Bad Bunny is a demonic Marxist who was been granted the largest stage with the greatest audience in the middle of a Christian revival. This is by design. We are in a spiritual war and once you see it you can’t unsee it.”
@Sadie_NC, in a post on X viewed over 70,000 times: “Am I the only person who has no idea who this person is?”
@thebeaconsignal in a post on X viewed over 90,000 times: “They didn’t pick Bad Bunny to ‘entertain.’ They picked him to trigger both timelines at once.”
What Happens Next
Bad Bunny will continue his world tour through the fall and winter. The Super Bowl will serve as his sole U.S. appearance.