Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show has been branded the ‘worst halftime performance in history’ as fans all shared the same complaint.
The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29–13 at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, in front of a massive TV audience.
But as usual, the Super Bowl wasn’t just about what happened on the field.
Millions of viewers tuned in just as much for the halftime entertainment as the football – and this year, there were two very different shows to choose from, setting the stage for instant comparisons and heated reactions.
While the NFL’s official halftime show featured Bad Bunny, millions of viewers opted to switch over to Turning Point USA’s rival ‘All-American Halftime Show,’ with some saying they were unhappy with what they were seeing on the main broadcast.
As Bad Bunny took center stage, criticism quickly followed, with many viewers pointing out the same issue.
Bad Bunny takes center stage
It was announced last year that Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, would headline the Super Bowl halftime show in 2026.
The singer and rapper, who has topped Spotify’s most-streamed artist list in three of the past five years, had less than 15 minutes to deliver his biggest hits on US TV’s most-watched night.
The Puerto Rican superstar has become a global phenomenon, breaking language barriers and helping bring reggaeton and Latin trap into the mainstream around the world.
Reacting to the announcement at the time, Bad Bunny 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.”
Some viewers had expected Bad Bunny to use the Super Bowl stage to make a direct political statement against the current US administration.
Instead, his performance focused on messages of unity and cultural pride, rather than explicit political criticism.
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show was described by many fans as a love letter to his native Puerto Rico.
The 14-minute set featured guest appearances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, along with cameos from Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Karol G, and Jessica Alba.
The Grammy Award winner performed a medley of his biggest hits, including ‘Tití Me Preguntó,’ ‘MONACO,’ and ‘BAILE INoLVIDABLE.’
The set design transported viewers through a Latin-inspired landscape, with backdrops ranging from a nail salon to a neighborhood bar.
The 31-year-old also made history by becoming the first artist to deliver a Super Bowl halftime show entirely in Spanish.
While many praised the cultural significance of the moment, others said the language barrier made it hard for them to connect with the performance – a complaint that surfaced repeatedly across social media.
Donald Trump calls out Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Show
While the performance was primarily in Spanish, Bad Bunny made two statements in English during the show.
One message appeared on a billboard reading: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Another was written on a football he held during the set, which read: “Together, We Are America.”
The performance marked the first time the singer and rapper had performed in the US since releasing last year’s Grammy Award-winning album ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Photos).’
There were no direct criticisms of President Donald Trump during Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance, which some viewers saw as a surprise.
Trump quickly reacted to the show on his social media platform Truth Social.
He wrote that the set was ‘absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!’
Trump added that the performance was ‘an affront to the Greatness of America.’
Fans were quick to point out what they saw as double standards in the backlash.
One wrote: “You know what’s funny about this Bad Bunny ‘outrage’?
“We’ve had several ACTUAL non-American performers in the history of the halftime show – The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Rihanna, The Weeknd, U2 – and there wasn’t an issue. Folks just out here yapping.”
Millions switched to Kid Rock’s alternative halftime show
As criticism of Bad Bunny’s performance spread online, many viewers said they switched channels entirely.
While the NFL’s official halftime show aired on NBC, Turning Point USA streamed its rival ‘All-American Halftime Show‘ online.
Kid Rock headlined the alternative concert alongside Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.
The conservative-backed broadcast was pitched as an alternative to the NFL’s choice of Bad Bunny, a decision that had already divided opinion before kickoff.
For some viewers unhappy with the official halftime show, the rival stream became their go-to alternative.
What fans said about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show
Bad Bunny made history as the first artist to deliver an entirely Spanish-language Super Bowl halftime show.
Almost immediately, social media lit up with reactions – and many viewers made the same complaint.
Many said they struggled to connect with the performance because it was in Spanish.
Others argued that the set didn’t feel like a ‘traditional’ Super Bowl halftime show.
Some went as far as branding it the ‘worst halftime performance’ in the event’s history.
“This s*** by Bad Bunny is literally the worst halftime performance in Super Bowl history,” one viewer wrote.
“Bad Bunny was terrible. Couldn’t understand one word. Not even the performance was good. Two out of 10. Probably the worst halftime show of all time,” another added.
“In my opinion the worst halftime show ever in Super Bowl history belongs to Bad Bunny. I had both halftime shows on and Bad Bunny never came on,” one fan claimed.
“The Bad Bunny performance was easily the worst in Super Bowl history,” another wrote.
Another commenter criticized the performance on multiple fronts, writing: “The Bad Bunny halftime show was the worst entertainment performance in Super Bowl history.
“Woke. Cringe. Unintelligible. Foreign. Boring. Derivative. Preachy. Creatively bankrupt.
“Worst of all: No songs you can even sing along to – because no songs were in our language.
“Football is an American sport. The NFL spit in the face of their fans and our nation. This is an absolute humiliation for the NFL.
“In contrast, the TPUSA halftime show was just feel-good banger after banger from American artists who love this country and who football fans can relate with.
“It felt like America. Total cultural victory. Legitimately so proud of the TPUSA family tonight. Charlie is smiling from heaven.”
Others framed the Spanish-language performance as political.
“The NFL having a Super Bowl halftime show where their performer sings entirely in Spanish and waves other nation’s flags is 100% a political statement,” one post read.
“Bad Bunny will go down as the worst halftime show in the history of the league. America deserved better for its 250th birthday.”
The backlash also spread beyond social media.
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul called for a boycott hours before kickoff, labeling Bad Bunny a ‘fake American citizen who hates America,’ a claim his brother Logan Paul echoed with a blunt :“NO.”
However, Puerto Ricans have held US citizenship since the 1917 Jones-Shafroth Act, and both Paul brothers currently live in Puerto Rico, where Jake Paul owns property for tax reasons.
Not everyone agreed with the criticism.
Supporters praised the halftime show as a celebration of Latin culture and representation on one of the biggest stages in American sports.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared February 8 ‘Bad Bunny Day,’ while Katy Perry and other celebrities publicly celebrated the performance as a vibrant showcase of the American dream.
While many criticized the show, others pushed back hard against the backlash, arguing the outrage said more about the audience than the performance itself.
Love it or hate it, one thing is clear – Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show has become one of the most talked-about and polarizing performances in the event’s history.
Why Bad Bunny’s halftime show sparked debate
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance, delivered almost entirely in Spanish, quickly became one of the most talked-about parts of the night.
While many viewers praised the show as a historic moment, others questioned why the NFL’s biggest stage featured a performance in a language they didn’t understand.
That reaction reflects the broader language makeup of the United States.
English is the most commonly used language in the US and functions as the country’s de facto national language.
While Congress has never formally passed a law making English the official language, the federal government primarily operates in English, and a 2025 executive order declared English the country’s official language.
At the state level, 32 of the 50 US states and all five US territories recognize English as an official language, with some also recognizing additional languages.
According to the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 77 percent of Americans speak only English at home.
Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the country, used by 13.9 percent of the population.
Chinese is the third most common language, spoken by around one percent of residents.
Other languages spoken by more than one million people in the US include Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, Korean, and Russian.
Overall, more than 430 languages are spoken or signed across the United States, including 177 Indigenous languages native to the US or its territories.
The divide highlights a broader cultural tension around representation at major US events – and why Bad Bunny’s performance sparked such strong reactions on both sides.
So which halftime show did you watch – and do you think you made the right choice?
You can watch both performances below…
