If Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl Haltime Show headlining gig feels inevitable, it’s because the Puerto Rican artist never doubted that staying true to himself would take him wherever he wanted to go.
What else did Bad Bunny have left to accomplish this year?
He already floored 600,000 fans with his sold-out, 31-show summer residency in his native Puerto Rico ahead of his U.S.-eschewing Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, which kicks off Nov. 21 in the Dominican Republic.
And, Bad Bunny stole scenes right out from under Adam Sandler and Travis Kelce playing a waiter-turned-caddy in Happy Gilmore 2, while further sharpening his acting chops in the gritty drama Caught Stealing alongside Austin Butler. And, not least, he hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time in addition to serving as the musical guest.
“Since I was a kid, I really like to act,” the 31-year-old said in August on The Sunday Sitdown With Willie Geist, “and it was part of one of my dreams.”
Take your pick of dreams, the artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has been fulfilling them right and left.
And though his 54-date world tour will keep him continent-hopping until July, he has penciled in a stop in Santa Clara, Calif., on Feb. 8, 2026, where he’ll headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show.
“I’m always doing everything with purpose and of course everywhere I go, I always represent and I always put my country, my music,” Bad Bunny said Sept. 29 on Apple Music’s Halftime Headliner Special with Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden. “I really am figuring out yet what I’m going to do on this show. But it’s going to be good.”
If this era of Bad Bunny domination feels inevitable, that’s because he never doubted what he was bringing to the table.
“I’m always doing my best and working with so much passion,” Bad Bunny told Zane and Ebro. “And also, I’m still working. I’m a rookie. I’m still hungry to conquer and to show what I can do.”
He’s obviously not one to rest on his laurels, finding one way after another to top himself, but Bad Bunny couldn’t help but stop to appreciate what he accomplished over the summer.
“What is happening right now in San Juan in that arena is something magical,” he told Willie Geist a month into his residency. “It’s such a pleasure to show my culture, my country, my land, there, right there in my house.”
Yet though the stage may be where he feels most at home, he keeps his personal space under lock and key.
“I’m very intuitive with who and how I spend my time,” he told Variety in May. “I take care of my mental and heart space, bien cabrón. There are people that I work with who I’ve known since I was a kid, and what a blessing that is—to know that despite the outside world and time passing, or anything, they still love me the same.”
Not that he hasn’t occasionally opened his heart up to new influences, such as when he dated Kendall Jenner off and on in 2023 and 2024. They eventually split up due to their respectively packed schedules but remained friends, and neither ever commented publicly on their romance.
Meanwhile, after splitting his time between L.A. and New York for a couple of years, Bad Bunny could barely wait to return to Puerto Rico and stay put.
“The idea for the residency was always there, for as long as I can remember,” he told Variety. “But it became difficult to ignore, the more time passed. I’ll admit, it was hard to complete my last tour, because all I wanted to do was move into this chapter.”
Only official residents of Puerto Rico could buy tickets to his first nine shows, Bad Bunny wanting to pay it back to his O.G. fans before opening the rest of his run to all comers.
And in another flex of his star power and his personal convictions, he decided to not include the rest of the United States on his upcoming tour itinerary.
“I’ve performed there many times,” he explained to i-D in July. “All of [the shows] have been successful. All of them have been magnificent. I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the U.S.”
Instead, since Puerto Rico is unincorporated U.S. territory, his fellow North Americans were free to go to him.
“Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world,” he added. “But there was the issue of, like, f–king ICE could be outside [shows in the U.S.]. It’s something that we were…very concerned about.”
But accepting an invitation to share his music and culture on the world’s biggest stage was a must. And when Bad Bunny brings it for the 100 million people tuning into Super Bowl LX, it will still be all about making his hometown crowd proud.
“I’m really excited for my friends, my family, Puerto Rico, all the Latino people around the world,” he said on the Halftime Headliner Special. “I’m excited about my culture. I’m excited about everything, not just for me. You know what I’m saying. It feels really good, the beach where we record is my hometown beach. So it’s a very special thing for us.”
Of course he was excited for himself, too, but, he noted, “This is for everyone.”
Incidentally, 2026 will mark Bad Bunny’s second Super Bowl appearance, the then-burgeoning crossover star previously joining Jennifer Lopez and Shakira onstage in Miami in 2020. Check out where that epic performance ranked among the greatest Super Bowl Halftime Shows of all time:
2025
Not only did Kendrick Lamar deliver a poignant performance filled with symbolism about the racial and political divide in America, but he also managed to sneak in a few digs at Drake amid their heated feud.
2024
Usher gave an OMG-worthy performance, with Alicia Keys, will.i.am, Lil Jon, Ludacris and H.E.R. making special appearances.
2023
Rihanna’s red hot performance also served as her announcement for her pregnancy with baby No. 2.
Jennifer Lopez and Shakira made history with their performance at the 2020 Super Bowl, becoming the first two Latinas to lead a halftime performance. Lopez even had the chance the share a sweet moment on the stage with her child, Emme, performing together in front of the large crowd.
2017
Lady Gaga made quite the impression at the when she dropped in from the sky at the NRG Stadium in Houston. Complete with pyrotechnics and multiple costume changes, the performance featured electric renditions of her hits “Poker Face,” “Born This Way,” “Telephone,” “Just Dance,” “Million Reasons” and “Bad Romance.”
Katy Perry attracted the largest audience in the history of Super Bowl halftime shows with a powerhouse medley that included “Roar,” “Teenage Dream” and “Firework” with appearances from Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliot.
Joined by special guests The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bruno Mars brought the funk to Super Bowl XLVIII with smash hits like “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Just the Way You Are.”
2013
Beyoncé reunited with Destiny’s Child band members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for a sizzling group performance during her headliner set.
Madonna‘s powerhouse performance (including her hits “Give Me All Your Luvin,” “Vogue,” “Like a Prayer” and more) was almost upstaged my M.I.A.’s middle finger. Almost.
The Black Eyed Peas had a tough act to follow after The Who killed it in 2010. But the Grammy-winning group brought down the house during the Super Bowl XLV halftime show with their hits “I Gotta Feeling,” “Boom Boom Pow” and “Let’s Get It Started.”
The Who‘s lead singer Roger Daltrey and lead guitarist Pete Townshend added some serious rock n’ roll to Super Bowl XLIV.
2009
Jennifer Hudson belted out the National Anthem like only a Dreamgirl could at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa.
2007
From “Purple Rain” to “Let’s Go Crazy,” Prince brought the party to Florida during Super Bowl XLI.
2006
The Rolling Stones were dishing out plenty of satisfaction during the Super Bowl XL halftime show with their classic rock hits “Start Me Up,” “Rough Justice” and “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.”
2005
Paul McCartney rocked out during the Super Bowl XXXIX halftime show, playing a medley of songs including “Live and Let Die” and the Beatles hit “Hey Jude.”
2003
No doubt Super Bowl XXXVII’s halftime show was going to be a hit when Gwen Stefani joined Sting onstage for a duet of “Message in a Bottle.”
2003
Beyoncé is no stranger to the big game. She got her Latin flare on with Carlos Santana during the Super Bowl XXXVII pregame show and sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXXVIII the following year.
2002
Bono and the boys performed three of their hit songs when U2 hit the stage for a special 9/11 tribute performance during Super Bowl XXXVI.
2001
Rock gods met pop superstars midgame at Super Bowl XXXV when Aerosmith was joined by *NSync, Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige for a star-studded halftime performance of “Walk This Way.”
2001
Super Bowl XXXV began in true boy-band fashion with a Backstreet Boys rendition of the national anthem.
2000
Phil Collins delivered with his performance of “Two Worlds” during Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta.
2000
Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias helped entertain millions of fans with their performance of “Celebrate The Future Hand in Hand.”
Source: www.eonline.com