Let’s face it, the NFL isn’t the biggest moment of the Super Bowl.
Every year, the Super Bowl Halftime Show puts on a performance that tends to be one of the biggest pop culture moments of the year.
Former artists who have taken the stage include Prince, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar, but this year marks a historic first.
Who is performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show?
In September, it was announced that Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny will be performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show 2026.
This is the first time a Latino and Spanish-speaking artist has led the Super Bowl Halftime Show as a solo act.
“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,” he said in a statement.
Fans around the world shared their excitement after the 31-year-old posted a video of himself dancing with several people with the Spanish caption, “El 8 de febrero, el mundo bailará,” which translates to, “On February 8, the world will dance.”
“This is exactly what the world needs right now. I know so many little kids are going to feel safe, seen, loved, and filled with hope because of this video,” one emotional follower commented.
Donald Trump’s claim sparks controversy ahead of Super Bowl performance
With more than 19.8 billion streams, Bad Bunny was the top global artist last year. He held the same spot in 2020, 2021 and 2022 but missed out in 2023 and 2024 to Taylor Swift.
However, despite his overwhelming success, conservative critics voiced their disappointment at the choice of artist. President Donald Trump claimed he had never heard of him and called the Super Bowl choice “ridiculous”, according to The New York Times.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell responded to the growing backlash explaining that the decision was “carefully thought through”.
“I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching,” he said, adding that they’re “confident it’s going to be a great show”.
“He understands the platform that he’s on. And I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”
But this isn’t Bad Bunny’s first time on the Super Bowl stage; he was a guest performer at the 2020 show. He and Shakira performed a cover of his song I Like It followed by a mash up of Shakira’s hits Chantaje and Callaíta.
Who else is performing at Super Bowl 2026?
Meanwhile it’s also been announced that Charlie Puth will sing America’s national anthem, Brandi Carlile will give her rendition of America the Beautiful and rock band Green Day will perform at the opening ceremony.
“We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard! We are honoured to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun! Let’s get loud!” the band said in a statement.
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