Bad Bunny quickly faced criticism after it was announced on Instagram that he would be the 2026 Super Bowl performer.
The announcement came as a shock to many, as Bad Bunny had previously stated that he would not be hosting any shows or concerts in the U.S. on his tour over safety concerns. After finishing his 31-show residency in Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny announced that he would be going on tour starting in November and into the summer of 2026. He is set to perform in 19 countries, excluding the U.S.
Bad Bunny claimed that the reason for not performing in the U.S. stems from a safety concern over his Latinx fans. The increased presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement around the country caused the Puerto Rican singer to opt out of performing there to keep his fans safe from any potential raids at the venues.
With this, he shifted his attention to performing in his native country. Over 600,000 attendees came to watch him perform in San Juan’s Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot over the course of three months. The concert series led to a massive surge in the island’s economy. Moody’s Analytics estimated that his residency would have a direct economic impact of $250 million, with an overall spending price of $400 million. Moody also raised its 2025 economic forecast for Puerto Rico to 0.4% from 0.3% because of the residency.
Despite the massive popularity and success surrounding the reggaetonero, many take issue with his political statements and have come out in protest of the NFL’s halftime decision.
Upon the announcement, commenters online began to suggest that he should be detained or deported ahead of the show. Tomi Lahren, a conservative commentator, suggested that White House Border Czar Tom Homan should attend the Super Bowl.
Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was born and raised in Puerto Rico. The island is a U.S. territory, meaning all Puerto Ricans are born to American citizenship and can move freely within the U.S.
While the NFL did not comment on the debacle, Bad Bunny remained in high spirits. He stated, “What I’m feeling is beyond myself… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”
In a skit for the 51st season premiere of SNL, Bad Bunny had a satirical montage of Fox News clips edited together to make it seem like they were praising him and calling him to run for presidency.
In his monologue, he expressed how excited he was to do the Super Bowl and that it is not just a win for him, but for all Latinxs in the U.S. and around the world. He spoke directly to his Spanish-speaking audience before switching back to English without translation.
“If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn,” he said.
This is not the first time that an NFL halftime show performer sparked controversy upon announcement.
In February, rapper Kendrick Lamar caused a major conversation with his Super Bowl performance which relayed political messages. His dancers wore red, white and blue and stood in a configuration that displayed a torn American Flag. The visual reflected a radically and politically torn nation, highlighting the indifferences in those who chase the “American Dream.”
Those looking forward to Bad Bunny’s show wonder what surprises he’ll bring to the stage, and messages he’ll choose to include in the final setup.
Super Bowl LX will air on Feb. 8, 2026.
