Shaboozey Explains Why ‘There’s No Better Choice’ Than Bad Bunny for 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show
"I think he's a global superstar, global icon — and an American citizen," the country star said.
Shaboozey performs onstage during Audacy's 12th Annual We Can Survive at Prudential Center on September 26, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey.
At this point, Shaboozey is an NFL halftime veteran, and in his expert opinion, Bad Bunny is the perfect choice for next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner.
“I think it’s awesome,” he begins while speaking to Billboard about the unveiling of the new tortoiseshell design he helped with on a Formula 1 car for the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls team at the United States Grand Prix this weekend.
“It’s really cool,” he continues. “I think Bad Bunny’s awesome. I think he’s a global superstar, global icon — and an American citizen. There’s no better choice.”
“Also, it’s going to be crazy,” the hitmaker adds. “Any time a Bad Bunny song comes on, the whole place erupts.”
While Boozey and countless other Bad Bunny fans are pumped up for the Puerto Rican rapper’s mid-game showcase in February, others have expressed outrage that a Spanish-speaking performer got the gig. Following negative remarks about it from President Donald Trump — who called the headliner pick “absolutely ridiculous“ — and other MAGA personalities, ultraconservative youth group Turning Point USA announced plans to host an “All American Halftime Show” featuring “anything in English” for the music.
But as Shaboozey — who headlined the NFL’s Thanksgiving Halftime Show in November before making a cameo in the Christmas Day Beyoncé Bowl a month later — pointed out, Benito’s performance could be monumental for American football’s reach to worldwide audiences.
“I’ve noticed the NFL has been trying to expand, and, you know, my brother Myles Smith playing up in Dublin at one of their season openers … they’re clearly trying to globalize the brand,” he tells Billboard. “Football’s such a beloved sport — why not not take it to other places?”
