The act that gives the world a half-time show at the Super Bowl each February is guaranteed to get headlines - predicting who that act will be creates even more.
When Bad Bunny, a rapper from Puerto Rico, was announced as the star who will perform in the 15-minute slot in 2026, it was a surprise on social media.
The popular star, who performs primarily in Spanish, is one of the most-streamed artists on Spotify - but his appearance at the event has polarised opinion. Bad Bunny has not organised any US dates for his world tour, saying in an interview he is concerned that US ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) - the agency responsible for removing illegal immigrants from the country - would target his fans outside concert venues. In the last US election, the singer supported Kamala Harris, President Trump’s opponent.
This had led some people to say that the singer is anti-USA, while others have welcomed a Latin act at the half-time show - and have mentioned that Bad Bunny is also coming to America to host an episode of the show Saturday Night Live.
There will always be strong opinions on either side of a discussion but it’s important to remember that opinions are not facts - look for an impartial report before forming your own view.
Why isn’t Adele doing the Super Bowl half-time show?
Before Bad Bunny was announced, there were reports that UK singer Adele was in discussions to appear at the NFL spectacle. There was also speculation that Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus would be taking part. A Facebook page filled with AI-generated images of the country singer George Strait also led thousands of his fans to believe he was the 2026 performer.
It's not the first time Taylor Swift has been involved in a Super Bowl-related rumour. When her partner Travis Kelce was part of the winning Kansas City Chiefs, there was a conspiracy theory that the result was pre-planned, in exchange for Taylor supporting President Joe Biden at that year's election.
Bad Bunny's announcement has led to other fake news about moves to replace him. One article claimed that the owner of the Dallas Cowboys football team had called for players to go on strike until the singer was removed from the line-up. Some thorough fact-checking showed that it was completely untrue - the owner had never said a word on the subject.
Although speculation can be fun - similar predictions are made about the Glastonbury line-up each year - it’s always worth waiting for a trusted source to make the announcement, such as official NFL socials, or from the singer themselves. Otherwise, the rumours can build and spread as fans share them, creating misinformation - which can become fake news.
This article was published in October 2025
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