Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show draws 128.2 million U.S. viewers, ranks fourth all time
Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl halftime show averaged 128.2 million viewers across television and streaming in the United States, making it the fourth most-watched halftime performance on record, according to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel system.
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The 31-year-old Puerto Rican star, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, delivered a 15-minute set performed almost entirely in Spanish in tribute to his heritage and culture. The audience total trails only Kendrick Lamar’s record-setting 2025 show, as well as performances by Michael Jackson and Usher.
The game itself averaged 124.9 million U.S. viewers, down from the 127.7 million who watched Philadelphia’s win over Kansas City in 2025.
Online, Bad Bunny’s halftime set surged. NBC and Ripple Analytics said clips of the performance generated a record 4 billion social media views in the first 24 hours, with more than 55% of the NFL’s social views coming from international markets. Full global viewership estimates for the broadcast are expected next week.
Bad Bunny’s show featured high-profile guest turns. Ricky Martin joined for a high-energy segment, while Lady Gaga appeared for a surprise duet. Cameos by Cardi B, Jessica Alba and Pedro Pascal added to the celebrity-studded production. By Wednesday, the NFL’s official YouTube upload of the performance had amassed more than 62 million views.
The choice of Bad Bunny as headliner drew political backlash, most notably from former President Donald Trump, who wrote on social media that the set was “absolutely terrible” and a “slap in the face” to the country. The conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA staged an “alternative” halftime event headlined by Kid Rock. That live stream peaked at 5 million concurrent viewers on YouTube, the Associated Press reported, and the archived video has since surpassed 21 million views on the organization’s channel.
On stage, the emphasis was on representation. Bad Bunny’s Spanish-language performance—rare for a Super Bowl halftime—doubled as a statement of cultural pride. Fellow Puerto Rican star Martin wrote on X after the show, “They need to give me several hours to let me process and understand the tsunami of emotions I’m feeling. Thank you.” Lady Gaga, posting to her 61.8 million Instagram followers, said, “It was my absolute honour to be a part of Benito’s half-time show. Thank you Benito for inviting me and thank you to the entire cast for welcoming me onto your stage. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Bad Bunny, long a dominant figure in Latin music, vaulted further into the global mainstream last year with his sixth studio album, Debi Tirar Mas Fotos. He then made Grammys history as the first artist to win album of the year for a record sung entirely in Spanish, using his acceptance speech to call for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers to leave cities alone and to opt for love.
Viewed through the numbers, Sunday’s halftime firmly established Bad Bunny among the Super Bowl’s most-watched performers. Viewed through the lens of culture and politics, it underscored how the NFL’s biggest stage has become a global platform—and a flashpoint—far beyond football.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
