The National Football League (NFL) announced Sunday that Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.The Latin music icon will take centre stage at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, during the NFL’s championship game on Feb. 8, 2026.Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, expressed his excitement following the announcement.“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” he said in a statement.“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.”The 31-year-old added: “Go and tell grandma that we will be the Halftime Show of the Super Bowl.”Hip-hop legend Jay-Z, who works with the NFL as its live music entertainment strategist, applauded the decision.“What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honoured to have him on the world’s biggest stage,” he said.NFL global event production executive Jon Barker also highlighted Bad Bunny’s international appeal and reputation.“Bad Bunny represents the global energy and cultural vibrancy that define today’s music scene,” Barker said.“As one of the most influential and streamed artists in the world, his unique ability to bridge genres, languages, and audiences makes him an exciting and natural choice to take the Super Bowl Halftime stage.”While many fans celebrated the news, the announcement drew criticism from some conservative commentators who pointed out Bad Bunny's past comments about Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). .Conservative political pundit Benny Johnson called Bad Bunny a “massive Trump hater” and criticized the NFL for selecting an artist who frequently performs in Spanish.Johnson took to X, saying, “This is Bad Bunny. He was just announced as the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Massive Trump hater. Anti-ICE activist. No songs in English. He even canceled his entire US tour for this reason: ‘F***ing ICE could be outside my concert. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about. The NFL is self-destructing year after year.”.Filmmaker Robby Starbuck also objected, claiming the decision would “divide fans” and predicting the performance would carry a political message.“The guy literally says he isn’t touring the US because of Trump’s ICE raids and just released a video mocking President Trump,” Starbuck said on X.“Also, most of his songs aren’t even in English. This is not a pick designed to unite football fans or let people just enjoy the show. It is a pick designed to divide fans, and no doubt Bad Bunny will find some way to push a woke message.”.Mario Nawfal, founder of the IBC Group, said, “Bad Bunny doesn’t sing in English, skipped his entire US tour out of fear that ICE agents might show up outside his concerts, and called Trump every name in the book.“Naturally, the NFL just tapped him to headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show. You can’t make this up. This is a guy who publicly said he wouldn’t perform in the US because he was worried that his undocumented fans might get scooped up at the gates.”
