Bad Bunny Faces Backlash Over Spanish Super Bowl

Bad Bunny opened SNL’s season premiere to push back against conservative backlash after he was announced as the headliner for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show at Levi’s Stadium, which will feature a Spanish-language set. He framed the booking as a win for Latino contributions, spoke in Spanish and joked, “You have four months to learn,” cutting to an edited montage of network clips praising him. Right-wing commentators, including a Trump adviser and other allies, criticized the decision and warned ICE would be present at the event. The controversy follows Bad Bunny’s decision not to include U.S. dates on his recent tour over fears of ICE raids. The debate has become a flashpoint over language, identity and U.S. immigration politics and has also been hailed as a historic moment for Latino representation at the Super Bowl.