Puerto Rican rapper and singer, Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio), will be performing at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.

Bad Bunny is making history as the first male Latin artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, according to POLITICO.

This was announced Sunday, Sept. 29 during the game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys, according to USA TODAY.

According to USA TODAY, “‘I’m really excited for my friends, my family, Puerto Rico and all the Latino people around the world,” he said in the Apple Music interview. “I’m excited for my culture.”

This announcement followed a lot of criticism.

A lot of the criticism is because Bad Bunny is a Spanish speaking artist and speaks about his views on politics, “[Bad Bunny] has emerged as a leading voice in Spanish-language music and is known for his outspoken views on U.S. politics and immigration,” according to Newsweek.

“Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned ICE agents would be “all over” the Super Bowl,” according to POLITICO.

Bad Bunny did comment on the backlash he has received while on Saturday Night Live (SNL) on Oct. 4.

He said, “I know that people all around the world who love my music are also happy.”

He then spoke in Spanish and said, “Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world, here in the United States, who have worked to open doors. More than just my achievement, it’s everyone’s achievement proving that no one can ever erase or take away Latinos mark and our contribution to this country.”

Bad Bunny finished by saying in English, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”

This is not the first time that politics have gotten brought up in the Super Bowl halftime show.

According to POLITICO, in 2020 during the Shakira and Jennifer Lopez show “Lopez wrapped herself in a Puerto Rican flag and freed children from glowing cages, a move that was interpreted as protesting the Trump administration’s child separation policy.”

According to HOLA! Lopez gave her opinion while on the Today Show on Bad Bunny being the halftime performer, 

‘“He puts on a great show. He’s a great entertainer,” Lopez said. “I’m super excited for people to see him who think that because I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised because his music transcends language. It’s amazing what he’s done.”’

There is now a petition to replace Bad Bunny with Geroge Straight for the halftime show.

According to NATIONAL ENQUIRER, the petition has surpassed 35,000 signatures.

The petition states, “The 2026 Super Bowl offers a unique opportunity to pay tribute to American music’s rich heritage by featuring George Strait in its halftime show.”

The petition urges you to sign, “Join us in urging the NFL and related decision-makers to honor American music heritage by selecting George Strait for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show,” although it does not state how many signatures would be required for this change to be made.

The 2026 Super Bowl (Super Bowl 60) will be on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.

The game will be played in Santa Clara, California at Levi’s Stadium.