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Super Bowl 2026: Bad Bunny set the halftime show on fire with a political performance
After Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, and Kendrick Lamar, Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny performed at the Super Bowl halftime show on February 8th, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in California. The American football final became the stage for a highly political and festive performance from the reggaeton star. A beautiful tribute to his Latin roots, one that promoted peace over division and which enraged Donald Trump.
By Violaine Schütz,
and Jordan Bako.
Published on 30 September 2025. Updated on 9 February 2026.
The Super Bowl, a highly-anticipated annual event
In nearly sixty years since its creation, the Super Bowl has become much more than a mere sporting event. Attracting millions of viewers each year and bringing in nearly $600 million in revenue, the final of the American football league has become a major cultural platform. Especially as it premieres the latest blockbuster’s trailers. But above all, it offer the halftime show that has earned the Super Bowl its prestige.
Madonna, Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Prince, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Diana Ross… Over the years, an entire pantheon of music legends has taken turns on the Super Bowl halftime stage – the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. For 2026, rumours had it that pop stars Taylor Swift or Sabrina Carpenter would perform on the American football stage.
Bad Bunny, star of the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show
It is ultimately Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny, king of Latin trap and reggaeton, who has been given the heavy task of headlining the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. Benito Martínez Ocasio, his real name, was selected to take the stage of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on February 8th, 2026. Roger Goodell, the head of the National Football League (NFL), explained that choice: “Bad Bunny is one of the greatest artists in the world. That’s one of the reasons we chose him. But the other reason is he understood the platform he was on, and that this platform is used to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity, with their talent. Artists in the past have done that. I think Bad Bunny understands that and have a great performance.”
Considered one of the most-streamed English-speaking artists of all time, singer and rapper Bad Bunny, 31, has a busy year in 2025. Between the release of his album Debí Tirar Más Fotos in January 2025, his world tour and his foray into cinema with the film Caught Stealing, the musician’s schedule was packed. And in 2026, he shone at the Grammy Awards, notably winning the award for Best Album of the Year 2025 — a first for an album sung in Spanish. Today, he is one of the most listened-to English-speaking artists of all time. The former grocery store cashier was even the most streamed artist in the world in 2025.
A very committed artist
Last year, Kendrick Lamar delivered a strongly political performance, alongside singer SZA and actor Samuel L. Jackson. As a true manifesto on the status of African Americans in Trump’s America, the thirteen-minute show drew over 130 million viewers. Keeping that in mind, Bad Bunny could likely insert a political dimension into his own performance.
In the wake of the release Debí Tirar Más Fotos, an album composed as a tribute to his native island of Puerto Rico, the artist announced a world tour in 2025 and 2026. A series of concerts that, in light of the current political climate, do not include the United States.
Donald Trump’s political enemy
Indeed, according to his own words shared with i-D magazine, Bad Bunny refused to perform in the land of Uncle Sam because ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), a federal agency currently carrying out a policy of mass deportations of immigrants on American soil, “could be outside my concert.” At the Grammy Awards in February 2026, the singer continued to chant “ICE out.”
“We are not savages, we are not animals. We are human beings and we are Americans. What is being used against us is hate. Hate breeds hate. Love is even more powerful, and never forget that we must fight with love,” he declared during his acceptance speech.
An anti-MAGA show
In just a few months, the singer has become a symbol of resistance against Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policies. The bad bunny has turned into a pet peeve for MAGA supporters. The American president denounced “a terrible choice” and boycotted the event. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio will be the first fully Spanish-speaking Latino artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. A novelty that deeply displeases many Americans. Turning Point USA, the organization founded by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, even planned an alternative concert for the game’s halftime. The program was designed to “celebrate faith, family and freedom” and featured singer Kid Rock.
This year’s Super Bowl halftime show lived up to expectations. As one of the most closely watched events of the year, its stage proved to be the perfect platform to draw attention to a range of political causes for an artist who has already been vocal about homophobia, racism, sexism, harassment and the gentrification of Puerto Rico.
Lady Gaga, Pedro Pascal and Ricky Martin on stage
The halftime show was a tribute to Puerto Rico and Latin culture sung in Spanish. It featured a host of dancers and stars, such as Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Pedro Pascal, Young Miko and Karol G. All performed in front of a pink house, placed amid what looked like a sugarcane field. As for guest performances, Bad Bunny’s idol and friend Lady Gaga made an appearance in a custom blue flamenco dress by Luar, Chopard jewels and a brooch by Piers Atkinson in the shape of Puerto Rico’s official flower, the Flor de Maga. The superstar danced alongside Bad Bunny and sang a salsa version of Die with a Smile.
Ricky Martin also took to the stage. But the true star of the show was the charismatic singer and rapper himself, dressed in an off-white outfit as a symbol of peace, designed by the Spanish brand Zara to further showcase his culture. He also wore a pair of Adidas sneakers and a Royal Oak watch by Audemars Piguet. On the back of his jersey was the name “Ocasio,” his real last name, while the number 64 on the front might have refered to the year his mother, Lysaurie Ocasio, was born.
A huge celebration of Puerto Rico
In 13 minutes, Bad Bunny delivered a medley of his hits from Yo Perreo Sola to NUEVAYoL, EoO, DtMF, BAILE INoLVIDABLE and Tití me preguntó. The performance felt like a vast, unifying celebration. At a press conference with Apple Music, the artist said he had conceived the event as a bacchanal. “I just want people to have fun. It’s going to be a huge party and what people can always expect from me. Of course, a big part of my culture, but I really don’t want to give any spoilers. It will be simple, viewers will only have to worry about dancing. I know I said they had a month to learn Spanish, but they don’t need to! They’d better learn how to dance instead. And there’s no better dance than the one that comes from the heart.”
He also added: “Of course, I’ll have lots of guests. My family will be there, my friends, and the entire Latino community around the world that supports me. They’ll all be with me. Everyone who’s stopped me in the street wishes me nothing but the best. I know the whole world will be happy this Sunday. They’ll dance and have a great time.”
“Together, we are America.” – Bad Bunny
The singer delivered on his promises. In front of over 100 million viewers, the Puerto Rican artist unveiled a joyful show rooted in his Latin heritage. The spectacle was brought to life through dance, guest appearances, brass, percussion, as well as samples of Latin melodies and electricity poles as a reference to Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island in 2017. The set recreated a Puerto Rican village, including a beauty salon, a jewellery shop, a grocery store, an ice-cream vendor and even domino players.
The rapper commanded the stage by dancing on the roof of a house, singing atop a car, diving into the crowd and gifting one of his Grammy Awards to a child. One couple even got married — for real — in the middle of the show. A parade of flags from every country on the continent followed, with Bad Bunny naming each one, finishing with Canada and the United States.
A message of peace
His messages were written on the balloon he held. One of them was “Together, we are America.” A screen shows the slogan “The only thing stronger than hate is love.” Proof that the message landed? The US president loathed it. “This is a slap in the face to our country and an affront to the greatness of America. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children,” he posted on X as soon as the show ended. Much to Donald Trump’s dismay, Bad Bunny demonstrated what a united, culturally rich, hate-free America could look like through his Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. And it was great to see…
The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show took place on February 8th, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
