During his hosting gig on “Saturday Night Live” this past weekend, a defiant Bad Bunny addressed the controversy surrounding his being chosen to perform at the Super Bowl.
One day earlier, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement will attend the Puerto Rican superstar’s halftime show. In an interview with right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson, Noem said of ICE’s presence: “we’ll be all over that place. We’re going to enforce the law.”
Noem added, “So, I think people should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country.”
Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl appearance also has been a hot topic on Fox News, so much so that “SNL” created a clip montage of the channel’s anchors, having them say, “Bad Bunny is my favourite musician, and he should be the next president,” which was included in his opening monologue.
He ended his monologue by thanking his fans for their support, in Spanish, and telling the audience, in English, “If you don’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”
What’s all the fuss about?
The NFL announced last week that Bad Bunny will be headlining the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., raising the ire of MAGA over his criticism of President Donald Trump’s policies and the fact that he sings in Spanish.
Bringing his chart-topping mix of Latin trap and reggaeton, Bad Bunny will make history as the first Latin male artist to headline the show.
In the announcement, he added: “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself … this is for my people … ”
The Super Bowl will be his only performance in the U.S. as the singer has made the decision to not include American stops on his 2025-2026 tour.
“F—king ICE could be outside (my concert). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he told i-D magazine last month.
Who is Bad Bunny (for those who don’t already know)?
Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Bad Bunny is one of the world’s most-streamed artists. His 2022 album “Un Verano Sin Ti” became the most streamed album in Spotify history, and he was Spotify’s most globally streamed artist three years in a row (2020-2022).
The rapper and singer-songwriter has fans around the globe. His five-album discography spans everything from sincere ballads — like “DtMF” (an acronym for his latest album “DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS,” meaning “I should’ve taken more photos”) — to boisterous, trap-heavy hits like “Tití Me Preguntó” (“Auntie asked me”), in which he lists the many women he spends time with. There’s something for everyone in his genre-blending sound.
Earlier this year, his 30-day No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí (“I Don’t Want to Leave Here”) residency in Puerto Rico drew over half a million fans and infused an estimated $733 million into the local economy.
Bad Bunny also has quite the trophy cabinet. Among his accolades: three Grammys, three American Music Awards and four Billboard Music Awards. In 2022, he was named Artist of the Year by both Billboard and Apple Music.
His talents extend beyond music. He starred alongside Brad Pitt in David Leitch’s 2022 film “Bullet Train,” playing a stylish, vengeance-fueled assassin dubbed The Wolf. He’s also stepped into the WWE ring multiple times, even winning the 24/7 Championship in 2021 (before graciously returning the title).
The Super Bowl is consistently one of the most-watched television events of the year.
In 2025, Kendrick Lamar and his red, white, and blue crew drew 133.5 million viewers — seven and a half million more than the game itself.
In 2023, Rihanna made her musical comeback on the NFL’s stage, announcing her second pregnancy to an audience of 121 million.
Other past headliners include Beyoncé, Madonna, Prince and Toronto’s own The Weeknd.
When and where is Super Bowl LX?
Super Bowl 60 (Roman numeral: LX) takes place on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., home of the San Francisco 49ers.
The halftime show will be produced by Apple Music and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.
How can Canadians watch?
Canadian viewers will be able to watch the game and halftime show on CTV, TSN, and DAZN. Game time and additional broadcast details will be announced closer to the date.
