Fans Rally: 100,000+ Sign Petition to Replace Bad Bunny at Super Bowl Halftime
A petition calling for Bad Bunny to be replaced by country music legend George Strait for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show has passed 100,000 signatures.
The petition comes after the NFL announced that the Puerto Rican superstar would headline the halftime performance at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026.
It argues that Bad Bunny’s style and past performances clash with what some consider appropriate for America’s biggest football stage.
“While this approach certainly broadens the audience, it’s pivotal to remember the roots that have made American music what it is today,” the petition states. It praises Strait, calling him the “King of Country” and saying he “embodies the heart and soul of American music” and can reach audiences across generations.
The petition also claims that the Super Bowl halftime show “should unite our country, honor American culture, and remain family-friendly, not be turned into a political stunt. Bad Bunny represents none of these values; his drag performances and style are the opposite of what families expect on football’s biggest stage.”
Despite the petition, the NFL has said there will be no change in the halftime performer. The show is being produced by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, which has backed Bad Bunny’s selection as the headliner.
Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, responded to the announcement by expressing excitement and pride. Hosting “Saturday Night Live” shortly after the news, he said, “I’m very excited to be doing the Super Bowl, and I know that people all around the world who love my music are also happy.”
He added in Spanish, “Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world here in the United States who have worked to open doors. It’s more than a win for myself, it’s a win for all of us. Our footprints and our contribution in this country, no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it.”
In a statement, he also said, “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.”
Bad Bunny has been politically outspoken in the past. In 2017, he criticized President Donald Trump’s response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico by wearing a shirt that read “¿Eres Twitero o Presidente?”
He has also spoken against ICE raids and the impact of immigration policies on fans and his community. In a September 2025 interview with i-D magazine, he explained why he excluded the U.S. from parts of his tour, saying, “There was the issue of, like, f***** ICE could be outside (my concert). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
Bad Bunny’s 2025 song “Nuevayol” includes a segment in which a voice impersonating Trump says, “I made a mistake. I want to apologize to the immigrants in America…This country is nothing without the immigrants. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans.”
The petition reflects a split among U.S. fans, with some questioning the choice of an international artist who has been politically outspoken, while others celebrate his role in bringing new audiences to the Super Bowl.
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