The Super Bowl Goes Global With Bad Bunny
The Super Bowl halftime show is one of the most watched and commercially powerful events in the world. So powerful, in fact, that the National Football League does not pay a performance fee for the invited superstars. The unmatched exposure that the 15-minute slot can provide is a reward that any star is willing to accept, and this has led to incredible performances from artists such as Prince, Shakira, and Kendrick Lamar. People from all over the globe tune in to watch these stars perform their biggest hits, and the NFL is eager to capitalize on this to fuel its international growth.
For Super Bowl LX in 2026, the NFL decided to invite Latin popstar, Bad Bunny, to perform for the lucrative half-time event. For the first time in history, the NFL’s biggest stage would be headlined by an artist performing entirely in Spanish. The choice was met with some backlash, as some critics viewed his songs as ‘un-American’ and a poor fit for a sport that is seen as a cornerstone of United States culture. Turning Point USA, an organization that promotes conservative principles in education, announced that it would host its own version of a half-time performance. Calling it the ‘All-American Halftime Show,’ it was a means of protesting against the NFL’s decision to host a non-English event.
However, others were quite supportive of the selection, stating that it was a major triumph for the approximately 50 million Spanish speakers in the United States. These supporters framed it as an authentic representation of a multicultural and multilingual nation in the United States. The NFL publicly declared its decision as well, with commissioner Roger Goodell stating, “He's one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world. That's what we try to achieve…”.With official support from the league, there were major expectations for Bad Bunny’s upcoming show.
Despite the controversies leading up to it, Bad Bunny’s performance was a visual and musical spectacle. Nearly 400 performers dressed up as bushes to create a living representation of Puerto Rico’s landscape. Lady Gaga emerged as a surprise guest performer and delivered a salsa version of her latest hit song, “Die with a Smile,” as people danced around her. The emotional peak of the night was when an actual couple exchanged wedding vows center-stage, creating a heartfelt moment that captivated the millions watching at home.
As Bad Bunny walked off-stage, he shouted “God Bless America!” and started listing all the countries in the entire continent. By doing so, he emphasized a more diverse and multicultural American identity. People holding flags of all the listed countries followed Bad Bunny’s exit until he momentarily stopped in front of a camera. He held up a football that read “Together, we are America” and spiked it to signal the end of his concert. The overall performance represented a sense of unity that challenged the singular definition of the word, America, and reimagined it as a shared heritage of multiple countries.
The show’s ratings reflected its success, with total media consumption reaching a record of 4 billion views after the first 24 hours. One of his performed songs, Debí Tirar Más Fotos (DTMF) has been trending all over social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. For the Spanish audience, Telemundo (NBC’s Spanish network) reported reaching its peak viewership during the halftime show at 4.8 million viewers. Bad Bunny has helped the NFL break multiple viewership records, and the event proved to be a major milestone in the league’s goals to expand towards global audiences.
While the Super Bowl game itself was an uneventful win for the Seattle Seahawks, Bad Bunny’s iconic performance made headlines all around the world. People were intrigued by how the NFL was extending its reach to other languages and cultures. The invitation for Bad Bunny is one of the many moves that the league is making to increase its international influence. For the past couple of seasons, the NFL has been experimenting with making its teams play a handful of games in other countries. Some examples include Brazil, Germany, and even in iconic soccer fields such as Wembley Stadium in the UK. Aiming to continue their goal of attracting international fans, the NFL has now chosen to fly across the globe by selecting Australia to host the 2026-2027 season opener.
As a fan of both American Football and music in general, I personally thought the halftime show was incredible. The way the camera kept following Bad Bunny as he navigated through the dancing crowd made the event feel immersive for fans watching on TV. While I have enjoyed previous artistic performances from artists such as the Weeknd and Katy Perry, the visuals and message of unity from Bad Bunny’s performance made it quite memorable. I believe that the NFL should continue to seek out other global pop stars for future halftime shows. Collaborations with artists from other countries could increase the number of global fans and set the stage for multicultural performances.
Football is a beautiful, amazing sport. The comebacks, game-winners, and storylines are all exhilarating to watch as someone who loves the game. The joys of winning a close game and the agony of watching my Detroit Lions miss the playoffs are nearly unmatched in any other sport.
There is no reason to limit the experience to a single language. The whole world should be able to enjoy the thrills of football.
