Bad Bunny plans to use Super Bowl halftime show to 'honor queer icons,' plans to wear a dress: report

Bad Bunny is planning on wearing a dress for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, according to a report from RadarOnline citing individuals familiar with the preparations.

Sources told RadarOnline that the Puerto Rican performer intends to wear a dress during the halftime show as a tribute to queer icons, drag culture, and political resistance tied to Puerto Rican history. One stylist involved in the planning described the move as deliberate and provocative saying that Bad Bunny is intentionally trying to spark controversy. Another source said the outfit is already in production: "Let them complain. The dress is already being sewn," the source said.

Apple Music and the NFL announced on Sept. 28 that Bad Bunny would headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show at Levi’s Stadium. The announcement immediately sparked backlash from public officials in the Trump admin particularly over the artist’s use of Spanish-language music and his decision to skip US tour dates in recent years.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said the league is standing by its decision. “It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell said when asked about the decision, according to the Variety. “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… We’re confident it’s going to be a great show. He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”

Bad Bunny, whose legal name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, addressed the controversy during his appearance on Saturday Night Live. He joked that “everyone is happy” about his halftime show — “even Fox News” — before showing an edited montage making Fox News hosts appear to praise him.
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He mocked the outrage about his Spanish-speaking performance. “If you didn’t understand what I just said,” he told the crowd, “you have four months to learn.”

Critics included Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. On The Benny Show, Noem said, “We’re going to enforce the law. People should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country.” She also said her agency would be “all over that place” during the game.

Bad Bunny has previously said he avoided performing in the mainland US during his 2025–2026 tour because of concerns over immigration enforcement during the Trump administration. “There was the issue that… ICE could be outside (my concert venue),” he told reporters at the time.

He has also been slammed for sitting down during “God Bless America” at Yankee Stadium.

The league expects his halftime show to draw one of the largest audiences in television history.

Bad Bunny, whose legal name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, addressed the controversy during an October 2025 appearance on Saturday Night Live. During the monologue, he joked that “everyone is happy” about the halftime show selection, “even Fox News,” before airing a satirical edited montage. He also mocked complaints about his Spanish-language performance, telling the audience that those who didn’t understand him “have four months to learn.”

In response to the controversy, Turning Point USA announced an alternative called The All-American Halftime Show, which will take place at the same time as the official performance. “It’s true, Turning Point USA is thrilled to announce The All American Halftime Show,” the group wrote on X. Acts performing at the show have yet to be announced.

"It’s true, Turning Point USA is thrilled to announce The All American Halftime Show. Performers and event details coming soon," TPUSA announced on X.