Bad Bunny is set to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2026. Despite the backlash from social media and the Trump administration, the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, shared that there will be no reconsideration to Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer. Fans do not need to worry about Bad Bunny being replaced and will be able to see the Puerto Rican rapper make history.
The “Monaco” artist was announced as the performer last month, and he will be making history as the first Latin male solo artist to headline the Super Bowl. It is something that he is not taking lightly.
“What I'm feeling goes beyond myself,” he said in a statement following the Super Bowl halftime show announcement. “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.”
Jay-Z — who entered his partnership with the NFL in 2019 through his company Roc Nation — is the live entertainment strategist for the Super Bowl halftime show and chooses the performer each year. He shared in a statement why Bad Bunny — born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — was chosen.
“What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring,” Jay-Z said in response to the announcement. “We are honored to have him on the world's biggest stage.”
For those unsure of the Puerto Rican rapper's qualifications — not that he has to prove anything to doubters — Bad Bunny has won three Grammys, 12 Latin Grammys, was the most-streamed artist globally on Spotify from 2020 to 2022, and has three No. 1 albums: Verano Sin Ti, El Último Tour del Mundo, and Debí Tirar Más Fotos, to just name a few of his accomplishments. During the time of the Super Bowl, he will also be in the middle of his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour in support of his latest album, following his sold-out Puerto Rico residency that concluded in September 2025.
5 artists Bad Bunny should pull up on stage
To be clear, Bad Bunny can most definitely pull off a stellar show solo, but in case he wants to include other artists here are five artists, we think will be great complements to the rapper:
Cardi B
Cardi B would be an excellent surprise guest for Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, as they already have a hit together. The two collaborated on “I Like It” with J Balvin back in 2018, which uses a sample from “I Like It Like That” by Pete Rodriguez. The song made history for both Bad Bunny and Cardi as it became the Puerto Rican rapper's first No. 1 hit on Billboard Hot 100 and the Bronx native's second No. 1.
Another reason why we could see Cardi joining Bad Bunny on stage is that she just dropped her Am I The Drama? album last month, and songs such as “Bodego Baddie” would be perfect to align with representing Latin culture. On top of that, Cardi's first arena world tour kicks off in February.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez has been in the game for over 20 years, and she had her Super Bowl moment back in 2020 when she co-headlined Super Bowl 54 Halftime Show with Shakira. However, the Latina artists made that moment extra special by bringing out J Balvin, Lopez's daughter Emme, and yes, you guessed it, Bad Bunny.
Not only would having Lopez be an opportunity for the “Monaco” artist to pay back the favor, but it would also thank her for advocating for him amid the controversy of him being announced as the performer.
“Music and art transcends language. It doesn't matter. He's done that probably more than anybody of any generation,” the “On The Floor” singer said during her appearance on CBS Mornings on Thursday, Oct. 9.
She explained that she and Shakira also had doubters until they saw their 2020 performance.
“But when they saw us, [they said] ‘Oh! That's what they do.' It's an opportunity to show people who you are, what you're about, what you believe in. It's a big platform for artists. It's probably the biggest stage that you could hope to be on. And I think it's wonderful that people will get exposed to him who don't know him.”
Lopez added that fans should not be close minded and be open to Bad Bunny's artistry as they won't be disappointed. “Don't do that to yourself. That's what I would say. I'm telling you, just give it a chance,” she said.
She also has answered if the “Tití Me Preguntó” artist has given her a phone call yet on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Wednesday night, Oct. 15.
“He hasn’t reached out to me yet,” she admitted, before quickly adding, “I would definitely do it!”
There you go, Bad Bunny, hit “Jenny From The Block” up!
J Balvin
J Balvin is one of Bad Bunny's most frequent collaborators. They have a joint album called Oasis as well as hits such as “Qué Pretendes,” “La Canción,” and “Mojaíta.”
They've celebrated big milestones in their career together, such as both of their first No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 with their feature on Cardi B's “I Like It” and when J Balvin also joined Bad Bunny as a special guest during Shakira and Jennifer Lopez's 2020 Super Bowl performance. While a lot of their big moments have been together, it only seems fair to have J Balvin on stage for this one.
Residente
Bad Bunny and Residente have a strong friendship which is rooted in their activism and their Puerto Rican pride. In 2019, the duo joined Ricky Martin and other artists to release the song “Cántalo” in support of progressive change in Puerto Rico. It's no surprise the two share a passion for the progression of Puerto Rico, as Bad Bunny has been very open about the reason behind excluding the states from his Debí Tirar más Fotos Tour.
“There were many reasons why I didn't show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate—I've performed there many times,” Bad Bunny told i-D Magazine in an interview published on Sept. 10. “But there was the issue of—like, f*****g ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it's something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
Of course, Bad Bunny is making that exception as he accepted the NFL's offer to perform at the Super Bowl, which he poked fun at on X.
“I've been thinking about it these days, and after discussing it with my team, I think I'll do just one date in the United States,” he wrote at the time.
On the music side, the two have also collaborated on “Bellacoso” and “Afilando los Cuchillos.”
Daddy Yankee
Without Daddy Yankee, there would be no Bad Bunny. Daddy Yankee is not only one of the key innovators of the genre who is in conversations to be one of the artists to have coined the term “Reggaeton” — it's often disputed that DJ Nelson and DJ Playero could have created the term first — but all in all, through Bad Bunny's sound it's clear that Daddy Yankee has had an influence in his career which he has mentioned in the past.
Daddy Yankee's music will also seamlessly be appreciated by several generations with popular songs such as “Gasolina” and “Despacito.” Of course, Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee will have to perform some of their songs over the years, such as “Vuelve,” “Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola,” “La Ocasión,” “Soltera (Remix),” “La Santa,” and “X ÚltimaVez.”
If Bad Bunny wants to show some love to the culture and a genre pioneer, Daddy Yankee is an obvious choice.
Super Bowl 60 will be held in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8, 2026.
