When the NFL announced Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performer, the internet blew up. Fans were ecstatic, critics were fuming, and everyone had something to say.
Latin music fans celebrated the historic choice on social media, with one user on X exclaiming, “Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl?! We won!”
The news had dropped during a Sunday Night Football broadcast in late September, and according to the NFL, it’s official. The Puerto Rican star will take over Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8, 2026.
In a statement shared with the NFL and Apple Music press release, Bad Bunny said, “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself . . . it’s for my people, my culture, and our history.” To some, it was a powerful moment that demonstrated the significant progress Latino artists have made in American entertainment. But not everyone saw it that way.
During an October 2025 interview on Newsmax’s Greg Kelly Reports, Donald Trump called the decision to have Bad Bunny perform at the Super Bowl halftime show “absolutely ridiculous.”
Online, some fans even had started a petition reported by the New York Post asking the NFL to replace Bad Bunny with country singer George Strait, saying the Super Bowl should feature “American music.”
Strait has not commented on these reports.
Bad Bunny, however, made a statement on his performance. Hosting Saturday Night Live on Oct. 4, he laughed off the criticism, saying, “I’m very happy and I think everyone is happy about it . . . even Fox News. If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.” His message was clear: if you don’t get it now, you will soon.
The conversation about his performance highlights a large cultural moment. According to a 2023 survey reported by Axios, 71% of young American Latinos say they feel represented in mainstream U.S. media, yet 44% believe those outlets still fail to capture Latino culture accurately. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance resonates with many because he authentically showcases Latino culture. His inclusion goes beyond simple acknowledgment, making fans feel genuinely seen and celebrated.
Even the NFL agrees. Jon Barker, the league’s senior vice president of global event production, said in a statement, “Bad Bunny represents the global energy and cultural vibrancy that define today’s music scene.”
And truthfully, that’s what makes this moment so special and big for all. Whether you understand every lyric or not, Bad Bunny’s performance is proof that music doesn’t need to be in English to move people. As music critic Kelefa Sanneh wrote in The New Yorker, Bad Bunny is “probably the most important musician in the world right now, the person future generations will point to when they talk about what the early 2020s sounded like.”
His dominance reflects a shift in the music industry, proving that an artist doesn’t have to speak English to become a pop star.”He’s not only just performing, but he is representing his culture,” stated Sanneh.
When Super Bowl Sunday arrives, millions will be watching to see what that looks and sounds like. Who knows, with the halftime menu featuring Bad Bunny, it might just be the only time “Bunny” on the menu is the main course that everyone’s excited about, and hopefully no one will be hopping around mad.
