When the Super Bowl 60 halftime performer was announced during the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers Sunday night game on Sept. 28, to many the name they heard was a surprise.
Although educated guesses ranged from Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift, to English singer-songwriter Adele, those predictions came up short. Bad Bunny was chosen by the NFL for the 2026 Super Bowl near San Francisco even after being vocal about his refusal to tour in the U.S.
Here’s what to know about Bad Bunny and why the chosen halftime performer hasn’t toured in the U.S. recently.
Who is doing the halftime show in the 2026 Super Bowl?
Bad Bunny was announced as the Super Bowl 60 halftime performer in a commercial during the Cowboys-Packers game on Sunday, Sept. 28.
The Puerto Rican reggaeton sensation was seen sitting on a goal post on a beach, wearing a pava, a traditional hat made of Puerto Rican hat palm leaves (a nod to his heritage).
He reposted the commercial clip to his Instagram profile, captioning it “Super Bowl LX. Bay Area. February 2026.”
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. 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,” he said in a statement shared by the NFL.
“Ve y dile tu abuela que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”
For non-Spanish speakers, the last part of the quote translates to “Go on and tell your grandma that we’ll be at the Super Bowl halftime show.”
This won’t be Bad Bunny’s first time on the Super Bowl halftime stage, though, as he joined in on Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2020.
Where will the Super Bowl be in 2026?
Super Bowl LX, or Super Bowl 60, will be held at the home of the San Francisco 49ers, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
Why is Bad Bunny not touring in the U.S.? Here’s the last time he performed in Florida
Although some eagle-eyed fans started circulating rumors of the NFL choosing Bad Bunny for the next Super Bowl halftime show a few hours before the official announcement, most Bad Bunny fans ruled that possibility out in light of his recent comments on touring in the U.S.
In a recent interview, Bad Bunny, who has surprised and delighted fans with parts in recent movies like “Caught Stealing” and “Happy Gilmore 2,” said he was omitting the U.S. from his recent tour due to the political climate and fear of possible ICE raids at his shows.
“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the US, and none of them were out of hate — I’ve performed there many times. All of [the shows] have been successful. All of them have been magnificent…” Bad Bunny told I-D Magazine.
“But there was the issue of—like, f***ing ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
In case you’re curious, the last time Bad Bunny performed in Florida was during his “Most Wanted Tour” in May 2024, when he had stops in Miami, Orlando and Tampa.
Who is Bad Bunny? What is Bad Bunny’s real name?
Bad Bunny, 31, was born in the Almirante Sur barrio (a barrio is a neighborhood) of Vega Baja, a municipality in north-central Puerto Rico, less than an hour from the capital of San Juan.
Bad Bunny’s real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and many fans lovingly refer to him as simply “Benito.” He’s a triple threat, as a rapper, singer and record producer.
Sometimes referred to as “the king of Latin trap music,” Bad Bunny’s music blends elements of several genres, including reggaeton, salsa, bamba, Latin trap, soul, rock and even punk.
His rise to fame began picking up steam in 2016, with his first solo single “Soy Peor” which translates to “I’m Worse.” He saw his first U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single two years later, when he was featured on Cardi B’s song “I Like It.”
His 2022 album “Un Verano Sin Ti” propelled him to global fame and is his most commercially successful album to date. It remains the most-streamed album on Spotify, having garnered over 20 billion streams on the music streaming platform.
Although he won’t be stopping in the U.S., he’s currently on a global tour for his most recent album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” which translates to “I Should Have Taken More Photos.” He recently concluded a series of shows in his home of Puerto Rico.
Contributing: Brendan Morrow, Pamela Avila, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Who is doing the halftime show at the 2026 Super Bowl? What to know about Bad Bunny
Reporting by Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
