Bad Bunny will make history on Feb. 8 when he takes the stage at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, becoming the first Latino and Spanish-speaking artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show as a solo act. The Puerto Rican superstar, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was announced as the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show performer on Sept. 28, 2025, during NBC’s Sunday Night Football broadcast.
The selection carries weight, as Bad Bunny has spent the past year largely avoiding U.S. concert dates due to concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, making the Super Bowl his only announced American performance.
Inside Bad Bunny’s Historic Super Bowl Halftime Performance
The 31-year-old isn’t a stranger to the Super Bowl stage. He appeared as a guest during Shakira and Jennifer Lopez’s halftime show at Super Bowl LIV in Miami back in 2020. But headlining marks a different level of cultural breakthrough for Latin music and the many Spanish speakers in the United States.
Roc Nation founder Jay-Z, whose company has partnered with the NFL since 2019 to produce the halftime show, praised the selection. He said Bad Bunny’s work for Puerto Rico is “truly inspiring” and that they are “honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”
Bad Bunny framed his performance in generational terms. In a statement following the announcement, he said his feelings “go beyond myself” and that 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.”
The announcement drew immediate political backlash. President Donald Trump called the selection “absolutely ridiculous.” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson suggested Lee Greenwood as an alternative, citing Bad Bunny’s “niche audience.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that ICE agents would be present at the Super Bowl.
MORE: Latest 3-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Bad Bunny addressed the criticism during his appearance hosting Saturday Night Live’s season 51 premiere, joking that critics had “four months to learn” Spanish.
During his monologue, he acknowledged the significance while diffusing tension, saying he’s “very excited to be doing the Super Bowl, and I know people all around the world who love my music are also happy — even Fox News.”
What to Know About Bad Bunny’s Career and Accomplishments
The numbers justify his billing. Bad Bunny was Spotify’s most-streamed artist globally in 2025 with over 19.8 billion streams, reclaiming the crown he held from 2020 to 2022. His sixth studio album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” (“I Should Have Taken More Photos”) released in January 2025 and topped Spotify’s global album charts for the year.
His accolades are historic. Bad Bunny holds three Grammy Awards and 17 Latin Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year at the 2025 Latin Grammys for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” He became the first Spanish-language artist to earn nominations in three of the Grammys’ Big Four categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. His 2020 album “El Último Tour del Mundo” became the first all-Spanish language album to top the Billboard 200.
The Super Bowl halftime show will last approximately 15 minutes and is expected to air between 8 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m. ET, roughly 90 minutes after kickoff. No special guests have been officially announced, though there’s speculation that Cardi B may join him onstage since she collaborated with Bad Bunny and J Balvin on the 2018 hit “I Like It.” Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, and Residente have also been speculated as surprise guests.
The pregame lineup features Charlie Puth performing the national anthem, Brandi Carlile singing “America the Beautiful,” and Coco Jones delivering “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” In a first for the Super Bowl, a multilingual signing program will feature Puerto Rican Sign Language, led by deaf Puerto Rican performer Celimar Rivera Cosme.
Super Bowl LX kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and NFL+.
