Nearly half of Americans approve of the NFL’s decision to tap Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, but opinions split sharply along party lines, a new Quinnipiac University poll finds.
The Quinnipiac University national sports poll, conducted October 16–20 among 1,519 U.S. adults, found 48% approve of the NFL’s choice, 29% disapprove, and 24% offer no opinion. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. Democrats back the pick by 74% to 10%, while Republicans oppose it 63% to 16%. Support is higher among Black (61%) and Hispanic (65%) adults than white adults (41%), and strongest among those 18–34 (64%). (poll.qu.edu)
The NFL announced in late September that Bad Bunny will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. He was Spotify’s third most‑streamed global artist in 2024, underscoring his broad popularity. (reuters.com)
The selection has drawn criticism from conservatives and allies of President Donald Trump. In an interview on Newsmax’s Greg Kelly Reports earlier this month, Trump called the decision “absolutely ridiculous” and “crazy,” adding he’d “never heard” of the artist. (au.variety.com)
Turning Point USA has announced plans to counterprogram the Super Bowl with an “All American Halftime Show” on February 8, 2026; the group has not yet named performers. (washingtonpost.com)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Immigration and Customs Enforcement would have a presence at the game, telling podcaster Benny Johnson that agents would be “all over that place” and urging only “law‑abiding Americans” to attend. (au.variety.com)
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league’s decision last week, saying it was carefully considered and noting that any halftime choice draws some criticism. (washingtonpost.com)
Bad Bunny has been outspoken on immigration issues. His July 4 video for “NuevaYol” features a Trump‑like voice apologizing to immigrants, and in a recent i‑D interview he cited concern about potential ICE raids as a reason he left mainland U.S. dates off his upcoming world tour. (washingtonpost.com)