On September 29, 2025, the National Football League made waves with its announcement that Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show, scheduled for February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The news immediately ignited a firestorm of debate, with supporters hailing it as a historic moment for Latin representation and critics—particularly from the MAGA movement—decrying it as a political provocation.
The NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation revealed Bad Bunny’s selection during prime-time coverage, framing it as a culturally resonant choice. According to IBTimes, the league’s decision was met with both praise and outrage, reflecting the deep cultural and political divides that have come to characterize American public life. The Super Bowl halftime show, after all, is not just another concert—it’s the most-watched television event in the United States, with last year’s show drawing over 130 million viewers, as reported by the New York Times.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, did not shy away from the moment’s significance. “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” he said in a statement quoted by the East Bay Times. “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.” His words resonated with many in the Latino community, who saw the announcement as a powerful validation of their presence and contributions to American culture.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was quick to offer his congratulations on social media, writing, “California is excited to welcome you to Super Bowl LX.” Local organizers echoed this enthusiasm. Zaileen Janmohamed, president and CEO of the Bay Area Host Committee, expressed confidence that Bad Bunny would “deliver an unforgettable experience for fans in Levi’s Stadium and watching globally,” as noted by the East Bay Times. She added that the selection “further amplifies the Bay Area’s position as a premier destination for world-class events.”
But not everyone was celebrating. Conservative commentators and prominent MAGA figures wasted no time in voicing their disapproval. Benny Johnson, a right-wing podcaster, railed against Bad Bunny on X (formerly Twitter), describing him as a “massive Trump hater; Anti-ICE activist; No songs in English … The NFL is self-destructing year after year.” Johnson’s post, which quickly racked up tens of thousands of likes, reflected a broader sentiment among some conservatives who saw the choice as a deliberate political statement.
Robby Starbuck, a pundit affiliated with the Heritage Foundation, accused the NFL of “pushing left-wing social issues” and questioned whether Bad Bunny was a unifying choice for football fans. “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?” he wrote. “This isn’t about music, it’s about putting a guy on stage who hates Trump and MAGA.” According to The Independent, other conservative voices went even further, with one commentator calling Bad Bunny “a demonic Marxist” and suggesting his presence was meant to “recruit people away from the light and into the darkness at a consequential time.”
Much of the criticism centered on Bad Bunny’s open opposition to former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and his decision to perform primarily in Spanish. In early September 2025, Bad Bunny revealed that he had excluded the U.S. mainland from his 2025-2026 tour due to fears that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents might target his fans at concert venues. “But there was the issue that f***ing ICE could be outside [my concert],” he told i-D magazine. “It’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.” Instead, he encouraged his U.S.-based Latino and Puerto Rican fans to travel to Puerto Rico or other locations to see his shows, emphasizing that his decision was “not out of hate.”
Bad Bunny’s political engagement is nothing new. As IBTimes points out, he has repeatedly used his platform to spotlight social and political issues affecting Puerto Rico, from participating in the 2019 protests that led to Governor Ricardo Rosselló’s resignation—alongside fellow artists and with the protest song “Afilando Los Cuchillos”—to releasing “El Apagón” in 2022, a 23-minute documentary and song addressing the island’s struggles with utilities, land use, and displacement. In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, he publicly supported then-Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris after a Trump rally incident that insulted Puerto Rico, sharing her campaign material and echoing her criticisms of Trump’s response to Hurricane Maria. In his song “Una Velita,” Bad Bunny also directly called out the Trump administration’s handling of the hurricane’s aftermath.
For many, these actions have made Bad Bunny an unmistakably political figure—one whose Super Bowl appearance is seen as both a celebration of cultural diversity and a lightning rod for partisan outrage. As IBTimes notes, the Super Bowl halftime show has often been a stage for broader cultural statements, with previous headline acts attracting scrutiny for their social and political messages. The NFL, aware of the potential for controversy, has typically attempted to steer halftime shows toward spectacle rather than sermon. Whether that will be possible this time remains to be seen.
Even as the debate rages, the significance of Bad Bunny’s selection cannot be overstated. For Latino and Puerto Rican viewers, his presence at the center of America’s biggest television event is a powerful affirmation of their place in the national narrative. For others, it’s a flashpoint in the ongoing culture wars that increasingly define American life. The reactions—both celebratory and furious—reflect the fault lines in modern media and society, where representation and political expression are celebrated by some and denounced as divisive by others.
This will not be Bad Bunny’s first appearance on the Super Bowl stage. He previously made a guest appearance at the 2020 halftime show, which was headlined by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira—both of whom congratulated him on his new role. “Welcome back to the Super Bowl stage! Here comes my Latin people!” Shakira wrote on Instagram, capturing the pride and excitement felt by many fans.
As the NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation prepare for what promises to be one of the most talked-about halftime shows in history, all eyes will be on Bad Bunny—not just for the music, but for what his performance will say about the evolving face of American culture. Whether viewed as a celebration, a provocation, or simply a spectacle, his Super Bowl appearance is already shaping up to be a defining moment in the ongoing conversation about identity, politics, and entertainment in the United States.
With months to go before the big game, one thing is clear: the conversation around Bad Bunny’s halftime show is just getting started, and its impact will be felt far beyond the final whistle.
