Super Bowl 2026 halftime show live: Bad Bunny performance time, how to watch, setlist and surprise guests
Puerto Rican superstar could break viewing records when he performs at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, as the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks
Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show tonight at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, an event that is set to draw millions of viewers from around the world.
The Puerto Rican megastar, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, will become the first male solo Latin artist to perform the halftime show, as well as the first to perform their set entirely in Spanish.
However, he reassured any non Spanish-speaking viewers that his show will be “fun and easy”, and that people “only have to worry about dance”.
He previously appeared on the Super Bowl stage as a special guest for Shakira and Jennifer Lopez’s headline show in 2020. His performance also takes place a week after his latest album Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first Spanish-language record to win Album of the Year at the Grammys.
Accepting the prize, Bad Bunny denounced president Donald Trump’s administration for its expansion of immigration arrests, and said: “ICE out.” Trump has claimed he won’t watch the Super Bowl, as he disapproves of Bad Bunny and Green Day, the rock band who are also performing tonight.
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The important symbols that could show up in Bad Bunny's set
Puerto Rican flags: In his song “La Mudanza,” Bad Bunny sings, “Aquí mataron gente por sacar la bandera / Por eso es que ahora yo la llevo donde quiera.” In English: “Here they killed people for showing the flag / That’s why I bring it everywhere I want now.” It appears to be a reference to Law 53 of 1948, better known as the Gag Law, a ruling by the Puerto Rican Legislative Assembly that attempted to suppress the independence movement on the island and criminalized displaying the Puerto Rican flag. It was repealed in 1952. It is also one of many reasons Puerto Ricans are known for waving their flag with pride for their island.
It is almost certain that the flag of Puerto Rico will appear in some form on the Super Bowl stage. But its colors are worth noting. If it is shown in red, white and blue, that is the current flag of Puerto Rico and has been since 1952. If there are flags that feature light blue, that is reflective of the Puerto Rican independence movement. A black and white version of the flag has become synonymous with Puerto Rican struggle and resiliency. And if there is a flag that more closely resembles the Dominican Republic's flag, that is known as El Grito de Lares, a symbol of the Lares revolution — the first short revolt against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico in the 19th century.
Puerto Rican expressions: There may be a few Puerto Rican expressions uttered on stage, beyond just those found in Bad Bunny's music. That could be anything from “Wepa!” which is used in moments of excitement, not unlike exclaiming “Wow!.” It grew in popularity after the release of Alfonso Vélez's 1974 salsa song “El Jolgorio (Wepa Wepa Wepa).” Or “Acho, PR es otra cosa,” a phrase that became a fan chant during Bad Bunny's performance of “Voy a llevarte pa’ PR” during his residency. It translates to “Damn, PR is something else.”
Casita: At Bad Bunny’s residency in Puerto Rico last summer, he performed across two stages. One was built to resemble a casita (“little house”), for the pari de marquesina, a house party. These structures are synonymous with Puerto Rico and the Caribbean at large.
Pavas: A symbol that is likely familiar to Bad Bunny fans everywhere, a pava is a straw hat traditionally worn by jíbaros, or Puerto Rican rural farmers. It has become a symbol of pride for the island. The singer even wore a leather version of the hat on the red carpet at the 2025 Met Gala.
Flamboyan tree: The second of the two stages at Bad Bunny's residency focused on showcasing the island’s natural beauty with its flamboyan and plantain trees. The former are a common feature in Puerto Rican art for its flowers, most commonly seen in brilliant red, orange and yellow hues. The image of the tree evokes Puerto Rico almost as immediately as the sound of its national nocturnal residents, el coquí (a frog with a distinctive sing-song-y call heard only at night.)
El Sapo Concho: Not to be mistaken with el coquí, el sapo concho is the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad that Bad Bunny has used an animated version of in his visuals for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”
Traditional Puerto Rican instruments: Because much of Bad Bunny's music pulls from bomba and plena, it is likely that a few of those traditional instruments will be on stage. Look out for a cuatro (a small, four-stringed guitar), güiro/güira (a percussive instrument made of a hollow gourd), palitos (also a percussive instrument resembling two long, wood sticks), cencerro (cow bell) and maracas. For the bomba songs, specifically, there may be a barriel (a barrel) and for plena, a pandereta (tambourine).
Associated Press
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Cardi B praises Bad Bunny ahead of Super Bowl 2026 halftime show
As Bad Bunny prepares to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, Cardi B says she's proud to see him step onto the world's biggest stage, praising his cultural impact and willingness to speak out during heightened immigration arrests.
“I’m proud of everything that he’s been standing up for against ICE and everything,” Cardi B told The Associated Press ahead of her performance at Michael Rubin’s star-studded Fanatics Super Bowl Party on Saturday, which featured performances by SZA, Don Toliver and Travis Scott.
The Grammy winner spoke with admiration and unity about Bad Bunny, who appeared with J Balvin on her chart-topping hit, “I Like It." The collaboration helped propel Latin music further into the global mainstream.
“It just feels like everything is aligned right now,” said Cardi B, who is of Afro-Caribbean descent with roots in Trinidad and the Dominican Republic. “It just shows how Hispanics, Latinos. ... We standing. They standing. We all standing.”
With Super Bowl buzz swirling around “I Like It” and the possibility of surprise guests, Cardi B was asked what it would mean to share the stage with Bad Bunny on such a massive platform.
“That’d be exciting," she said.
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Kid Rock is one of the few singers performing at MAGA’s “All-American Halftime Show” tonight (your friendly reminder that Bad Bunny has American citizenship, as do all people born in Puerto Rico).
Anyway, it should be fine, it’s not like any other events he’s involved in are going wrong.
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My setlist predictions for Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show
There was literally no science behind this, but based off of his biggest songs, my own personal favourites and the songs I felt, theme-wise, might work best for a celebration of Puerto Rican and Latin American culture, here’s my setlist prediction for tonight’s halftime show by Bad Bunny:
- “EoO”
- “BAILE INoLVIDABLE”
- “Callaita”
- “Tití Me Preguntó”
- “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR”
- “PERRO NEGRO”
- “El Apagón”
- “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii”
- “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE”
- “NUEVAYoL”
- “LA MuDANZA”
- “La Santa”
- “Una Velita”
- “I Like It”
- “KLOuFRENS”
- “Si Veo a Tu Mamá”
- “DtMF”
If he does even half of those songs I’ll be VERY happy.
Will Bad Bunny perform entirely in Spanish?
Given that Bad Bunny's music is recorded in Spanish, yes! He might say a few words in English if he addresses his audience, but that’ll probably be it.
In October, Bad Bunny hosted Saturday Night Live and said a few sentences in Spanish during his opening monologue. When he concluded, he joked in English, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn,” a reference to the Super Bowl and his critics.
On Thursday this week, he joked that fans didn’t actually need to learn Spanish to enjoy his set — but said they should be prepared to dance. Let’s go!
Bad Bunny to headline the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show - key information
The Super Bowl halftime show stands as one of the world's most iconic stages, and this Sunday, global superstar Bad Bunny is set to command it.
Fresh from his historic Grammy win for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, his heartfelt tribute to Puerto Rico, the artist's performance is poised to become a landmark moment for Latino culture.
Anticipation is high, though specifics about his set remain tightly guarded. During a recent interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, it was confirmed that Bad Bunny's performance will span 13 minutes, consistent with the typical 12 to 15-minute duration of previous shows.
Super Bowl 60, in which the New England Patriots face off against the Seattle Seahawks, will kick off at 6.30pm ET / 11.30pm GMT, while Green Day’s performance will take place at 3pm ET / 8.30pm GMT. Bad Bunny’s performance is expected to begin at around 7.45pm to 8.15pm ET / 12.45am to 1.15am GMT.
If you’re in the UK, the whole game and performance will be broadcast live on Channel 5, Sky Sports and DAZN, while NBC are hosting the event in the US.
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