NFL Boss Stands by Bad Bunny and Won’t Change Super Bowl Halftime Show Amid MAGA Outrage: He’s Going to Deliver a ‘United Moment’

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has publicly defended the decision to have global superstar Bad Bunny headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show, a booking announced on September 28 by the NFL and its partner Apple Music. In a statement to the Associated Press, Goodell acknowledged the predictable criticism from some conservative circles, stating, "It's carefully thought through. I'm not sure we've ever selected an artist where we didn't have some blowback or criticism." He expressed full confidence that the Puerto Rican artist—whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—will deliver a spectacular and unifying show for the hundreds of millions of global viewers.

The political dimension of the controversy was amplified when former President Donald Trump, during a NewsMax interview, admitted his unfamiliarity with the artist, calling the selection "absolutely ridiculous." His former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, further inflamed the situation by threatening that ICE agents would be present at the 2026 game to identify and deport individuals without legal status. Dr. Elena Vance, a political communication expert, commented on this strategy: "Linking immigration enforcement to a cultural institution like the Super Bowl allows political figures to broadcast their stance to a massive, captive audience. It's a highly potent, if deeply divisive, form of signaling to their base."

Adding a deeply personal context to the dispute is the fact that Bad Bunny's 2026 Super Bowl performance will be his only U.S. concert that year. The artist is deliberately excluding the United States from his "Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour," which runs from December through July. He revealed to I-D magazine that his fear of ICE raids was a primary factor in this decision. This concern was directly validated when Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, appearing on Benny Johnson's podcast, confirmed that ICE would be "all over that place" at the Super Bowl with the explicit intent to "enforce the law."

In response to the announcement, a viral online petition has gained traction, demanding the NFL replace Bad Bunny with country music legend George Strait. Simultaneously, the influential conservative group Turning Point USA—founded by activist Charlie Kirk—has pledged to organize a protest halftime show. However, the artist has also garnered significant backing from peers in the music industry. Fellow Super Bowl alum Shakira, who performed with Bad Bunny during her 2020 Halftime Show, praised the selection to Variety, saying, "I'm so proud that Bad Bunny, who represents not only Latin culture but also the global ascent of Spanish-language music, is getting to perform on the world's biggest stage. It's the perfect moment for a performance like this." The 2026 Super Bowl is scheduled for Sunday, February 8, at a venue yet to be announced, ensuring the debate will only intensify as the event approaches.