The air in Northern California is getting thick with that specific kind of nervous energy that only a February in the Bay Area can bring. We’re staring down Super Bowl LX, the big sixty, hitting Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on February 8, 2026. If you've been following the breadcrumbs, you know the NFL doesn't just "pick" a name. They build a narrative. And for months, the internet was basically a digital shouting match over who is performing at the super bowl 2026 predictions that ranged from plausible to "you've got to be kidding me."
Honestly, the Taylor Swift rumors were so loud they were almost deafening. Every time she breathed near a football stadium, a thousand "confirmed" TikToks appeared. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even played the "maybe" game on the Today show back in late 2025, calling her a "special talent" and basically leaving the door propped open with a brick. But then she went on The Tonight Show and told Jimmy Fallon she was too busy watching "that man on the field"—referring to Travis Kelce—to worry about choreographing a twenty-minute medley of "Shake It Off." So, Taylor is out.
The Official Word: Bad Bunny Takes the Stage
Stop the guessing. The NFL, Roc Nation, and Apple Music finally stopped the bleeding in September 2025. Bad Bunny is the guy.
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Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio is officially headlining the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. It's a massive moment. He’s the first solo Latin artist to ever headline the show by himself. Yeah, Shakira and JLo did their thing in 2020 (and Benito actually showed up for a guest verse then), but this is his house now. Jay-Z, who basically runs the show's music strategy through Roc Nation, was pretty clear about why: Benito's impact on Puerto Rico and the global charts is just too big to ignore.
The man has been a streaming juggernaut. He was the most-streamed artist on Spotify for years, and even after a slight dip, he clawed back to the number one spot in 2025 with nearly 20 billion streams. You don't ignore those numbers.
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Why the Predictions Were So All Over the Place
Before the Bad Bunny announcement, the betting odds were a mess. People were throwing money at Adele, Miley Cyrus, and even a reunited Oasis.
- Adele: There were legitimate reports from Page Six that she was in talks. She’s famously turned it down before because she "can't dance," but the rumors of a 2026 album had everyone convinced she'd finally say yes.
- Miley Cyrus: She’s got the hits and the rock-and-roll edge that fits a stadium. Plus, she’s done the NFL’s TikTok Tailgate before. She was a "safe" pick that fans actually wanted.
- The Local Legends: Since the game is in Santa Clara, everyone was begging for Metallica or Green Day. Metallica at a Super Bowl in their backyard? It makes too much sense, which is probably why the NFL didn't do it. They usually go for the biggest pop/global reach possible.
What to Expect from the Super Bowl 2026 Performance
If you’ve seen a Bad Bunny show lately, you know it’s not just a guy with a microphone. It’s a theatrical production. He told his fans on social media, "This is for my people, my culture, and our history." Expect a heavy emphasis on Puerto Rican pride and probably a few guest appearances that will make the internet melt.
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We're likely looking at a setlist that pulls from Un Verano Sin Ti and his newer 2025 tracks. The production will probably start around 8:00 or 8:30 PM ET, roughly 90 minutes after the kickoff at Levi's Stadium.
Surprising Facts About the 2026 Halftime Slot
- The Paycheck: Or lack thereof. It’s a weird industry secret, but the NFL doesn't pay the headliners. They cover the production costs—which can be $10 million or more—but the artist does it for the "exposure." When you're playing for 100 million people, the "exposure" usually turns into a massive spike in album sales and tour tickets the next morning.
- The Venue: Levi's Stadium isn't new to this. They hosted Super Bowl 50 back in 2016 when Beyoncé, Coldplay, and Bruno Mars took over.
- The Broadcast: You’ll find it on NBC and Peacock, but Telemundo is doing a massive Spanish-language broadcast that will likely lean heavily into the Bad Bunny hype.
Getting Ready for Game Day in Santa Clara
If you're actually planning to be in the San Francisco Bay Area for the week of February 8, it's going to be a madhouse. The city is setting up fan zones at Yerba Buena Gardens starting February 3. There's also a "Super Bowl Experience" at the Moscone Center that’s basically a giant football theme park.
If you aren't a fan of crowds, stay far away from San Jose and Santa Clara that weekend. The traffic on Highway 101 is already a nightmare on a Tuesday; on Super Bowl Sunday, it will be a parking lot.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Secure your streaming: If you don't have cable, make sure your Peacock subscription is active before the February 8 kickoff to avoid last-minute login stress.
- Track the guest list: Keep an eye on Bad Bunny’s collaborators. If Daddy Yankee or J Balvin suddenly have "business" in San Francisco that week, you'll know who's coming out for a cameo.
- Book travel now: If you’re traveling to the Bay Area, hotel prices in Santa Clara and San Jose are already triple their normal rates. Look at cities further north like San Mateo or even south in Gilroy if you want to save a few bucks and don't mind a commute.
The 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show is shaping up to be a cultural reset for the NFL. Moving away from the traditional American pop-rock mold into a truly global, Spanish-language headliner is a massive bet on the future of the sport's audience. Whether you're there for the football or just to see Benito sit on a palm tree in the middle of a football field, it's going to be a spectacle.