Sorry, Swifties, but you won’t see Bad Blood at the Super Bowl next year. Instead, the spotlight will shine on Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rican singer and rapper, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was confirmed on Monday as the headliner for the NFL’s game of games at California’s Levi’s Stadium on February 8, effectively quashing rumors that pop juggernaut Taylor Swift could take the field.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bunny said in a statement obtained by Billboard. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards, so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. [In Spanish] Go tell your grandma we’re going to be the Super Bowl Halftime Show.”
Swift Speculation and NFL’s Stance
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had previously stirred up excitement among Swift fans when he mentioned on the US Today show that he would “always love to have Taylor [Swift] play” at the halftime show. “She is a special, special talent and obviously, she would be welcome at any time,” he said. This fueled speculation of a possible Super Bowl-Swift moment, especially after the singer’s engagement to Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce in August.
Fans were further intrigued when Swift appeared on Kelce’s New Heights podcast last month, where she made a seemingly random reference to the number 47. Her 47th Eras Tour stop was at Levi’s Stadium, the venue for the upcoming Super Bowl. However, despite the buzz, Swift and her team have remained silent on the matter.
Behind the Scenes: The Business of Halftime Shows
Historically, Super Bowl performers have not been compensated beyond a small, union-mandated rate, performing primarily for the massive exposure. Some have speculated whether Swift, arguably the biggest pop star in the world, decided she didn’t need the exposure and sought a rate that better reflected her value. The absence of comments from Swift’s camp leaves much to the imagination.
There were also whispers about other potential headliners, including British singer Adele and Miley Cyrus. Adele, whose fiancé Rich Paul is a prominent US sports agent, reportedly declined a halftime show offer several years ago.
Bad Bunny’s Meteoric Rise
Shortly before the headliner announcement, Bad Bunny took to X to reveal plans for just one show in the United States as part of his Debi Tirar Mas Fotos world tour, which kicks off in December. “I’ve been thinking about it these days, and after discussing it with my team, I think I’ll do just one date in the United States,” he wrote in Spanish. The NFL and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation soon confirmed him as the headliner.
The Grammy-winning Latin trap artist has been on a remarkable trajectory, having recently completed a Puerto Rico residency that drew over 500,000 fans. At just 31, he boasts three Grammys and 12 Latin Grammys and has appeared in films like Bullet Train, Happy Gilmore 2, and Caught Stealing. Some fans might also recognize him from his comedic appearances on Saturday Night Live.
Bad Bunny will follow rapper Kendrick Lamar, whose Drake diss-infused performance at this year’s Super Bowl attracted 133.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched halftime show ever.
The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show is set for February 8, 2026 (US time) at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. As anticipation builds, fans of Bad Bunny and the Super Bowl alike can look forward to a performance that promises to be both culturally rich and musically electrifying.
