The Super Bowl LX Halftime Controversy

By: Kayden Martinez

The NFL Super Bowl is a classic sports event that people around the world look forward to every year. It has gained an even larger audience due to its iconic halftime show, where each year a different musician or band takes the stage. And in late September of this year, the NFL officially announced the long-awaited halftime performer for the 60th Super Bowl. However, the public’s reaction towards the news was unusually mixed.  

On September 29th, the NFL and Bad Bunny made it public that he would be the halftime performer for the 60th Super Bowl in February 2026. Before this was announced, however, Bad Bunny had just finished a historic residency in Puerto Rico over the summer, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars for Puerto Rico’s economy and creating almost 100,000 jobs on the island. Earlier this year, he released his sixth studio album “DeBí TiRAR MáS FOTos,” which surpassed  7 billion streams on Spotify. He is currently nominated for six Grammys, and in October, he had a record 27 nominations and won 11 awards, including artist of the year, at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards. 

Despite his notable career, many people didn’t support the NFL’s decision to have Bad Bunny be the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime performer. His performance would make him the first Latino American male artist, and he would be the first solo Spanish-language artist to headline the Super Bowl Halftime show. Many people expressed their opinions online, saying they wanted “an American performer” because the Super Bowl is an American tradition (even though Puerto Rico is U.S. territory!). However, others have defended Bad Bunny and pushed back against such ignorant comments. They’ve even gone as far as learning Spanish solely for the performance. 

Citizens weren’t the only ones with backlash towards the announcement. Shortly after the news of Bad Bunny’s selection, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that ICE Agents would also be attending and enforcing their presence during the Super Bowl. The game is being held in California, where a large population of undocumented immigrants is located. This brought on an uproar of angry reactions towards his performance.

People took it to social media to express their opinion on the matter. Many conservatives, like Benny Johnson, attacked Bad Bunny for his anti-ICE statements and strong criticism against President Trump on social media. However, celebrities have addressed the NFL’s announcement as a win. Bruno Mars, singer and songwriter from Hawaii who headlined the Super Bowl in 2014 and performed as a guest in 2016, posted on X saying “Go get em Bad Bunny!”. Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and LeBron James have also publicly supported the announcement.

Although this historical announcement has unfortunately brought confrontation, it's also a learning lesson for many people. With attention on Bad Bunny, during his SNL monologue on October 4th, he addressed the topic in Spanish. After giving his message, he stated, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn”. And people have taken his message literally! Social media influencers, of all races, have been posting videos of themselves learning the lyrics of his songs!

BIBLIOGRAPHY sanbenitoachopr. Ice At Bad Bunny's Super Bowl. Instagram, October 1. 2025, https://www.instagram.com/p/DPSZLTvCS-B/ woodwardssport. “Learn Spanish… you have four months to learn.” Instagram, October 5. 2025, https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPbmNhFjRxl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

Benny Johnson. "The NFL is self-destructing year after year." Twitter, September 28. 2025, https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1972496290966593596

Mitchell Peters. "The Latin superstar wrapped his 30-date residency at El Choli." Billboard, September 21. 2025, https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/bad-bunny-marc-anthony-duet-puerto-rico-residency-finale-1236071438/

oneilthomas. "Influencer Learning Bad Bunny's Songs." Instagram, September 29. 2025, https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPNGOuajcov/?hl=en

npmiller7. "Another Influencer Learning Bad Bunny's Songs." Instagram, October 3. 2025,

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPXbHQogQVH/