Bad Bunny at the Columbia Pictures "Caught Stealing" New York Premiere held at Regal Union Square on August 26, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)
A Change.org petition urging that country music icon George Strait replace Latin superstar Bad Bunny as the performer for the 2026 Super Bowl LX halftime show has surpassed 100,000 signatures, according to an update released Monday.
What they're saying:
The petition argues that recent halftime performances have strayed too far into international pop territory, overlooking the traditional roots of American music. Supporters claim the Super Bowl should serve as a unifying, family-friendly celebration of U.S. culture and values.
RELATED: Bad Bunny named Super Bowl LX halftime show performer
Conversely, the petition criticizes Bad Bunny for performances it deems inconsistent with the family-oriented nature of the Super Bowl, calling his style "the opposite of what families expect on football’s biggest stage."
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Rumors of ICE at 2026 Super Bowl start to swirl
We are now hearing that speculation is starting to grow surrounding whether ICE agents will be at the 2026 Super Bowl in California where Bad Bunny is set to perform the Halftime Show. This comes as the Latin superstar was announced as the headliner for the Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show. LiveNOW’s Andy Mac is currently getting exclusive updates from TMZ's Michael Babcock.
The campaign concludes by calling on the NFL to "honor American music heritage" and choose George Strait to lead the 2026 halftime show, inviting fans nationwide to sign in support.
The other side:
The NFL is not considering dropping Bad Bunny as its Super Bowl halftime headline performer, Commissioner Roger Goodell said last week, reaffirming a decision to put the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage that led to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his supporters.
"It’s carefully thought through," Goodell said. "I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching."
The backstory:
The 31-year-old born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has been vocal in his opposition to Trump and his policies. He decided to do a 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, avoiding stops in the mainland U.S., citing concerns about the mass deportation of Latinos.
RELATED: Turning Point USA announces alternative Super Bowl halftime show after Bad Bunny selection
He performs in Spanish and is expected to do so at the Super Bowl.
"What I’m feeling goes beyond myself," Bad Bunny said in a previous statement. "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. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL."
Last year, Kendrick Lamar shined with guest SZA in New Orleans, setting the record for the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show with 133.5 million viewers. His performance surpassed the audience for Michael Jackson’s 1993 show.
What's next:
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear if Trump plans to be there, though he has made appearing in person at major sporting events a significant part of his second term in the White House.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from a combination of public statements, official comments, and online sources. This story was reported from Los Angeles.