NFL Reaffirms Bad Bunny as Super Bowl Halftime Headliner Amid Backlash
Published: October 21, 2025
The NFL has publicly stood by Bad Bunny as the headliner for the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show, dismissing calls to rescind the booking despite vocal opposition from some corners of the political right.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Commissioner Roger Goodell rejected suggestions that the league might reverse course. “He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell said, according to CBS Sports. “That’s what we try to achieve.”
“It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value. It’s carefully thought through.”
The remarks arrive amid outspoken criticism from figures including former President Donald Trump, who called the selection “absolutely ridiculous,” and White House advisor Corey Lewandowski, who described the decision as “shameful” and accused the artist of being unfit to represent the event.
Lewandowski also suggested that immigration enforcement would be heightened at the game, saying in a separate interview that there is “nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you and apprehend you and put you in a detention facility and deport you.” Those comments intensified concerns raised by the artist about touring U.S. venues amid fears that audiences could be targeted by immigration authorities.
In response to the controversy, the conservative group Turning Point USA announced plans for an alternate halftime event in protest.
Still, the decision has drawn significant support from artists and industry figures. Musicians such as Shaboozey and Jennifer Lopez expressed enthusiasm for Bad Bunny’s slot on the Super Bowl stage. Shakira praised the choice in an interview with Variety, noting that the moment highlights both Latin culture and the global reach of Spanish-language music.
“I’m so proud that Bad Bunny, who represents not only Latin culture, but also how important Spanish language music has become on a global scale and how universal it has become, is getting to perform on the biggest stage in the world,” she said.
