Contrary to earlier reports, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny will not be wearing a dress during his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance, according to a new report.
Initial reports published Friday claimed the artist — whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — planned to wear a dress during the halftime show as a statement in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Those reports also suggested that the performance, scheduled for Feb. 8, would serve as a “tribute to gay icons.”
However, TMZ later reported that sources involved in planning the NFL’s marquee halftime show said those claims were inaccurate. According to the outlet, “production sources tell TMZ … he’s not wearing a dress during the show — though they wouldn’t say what he is wearing.”
TMZ did not confirm whether the rapper still intends to structure the performance around LGBTQ+ themes or celebrate what had previously been described as “gay icons.” Even without a wardrobe statement, critics argue that the artist’s selection alone represents a provocative choice for the NFL’s largest annual audience.
Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl halftime headliner sparked immediate backlash across social media, with some football fans criticizing the league for inviting an artist known for gender-fluid fashion and outspoken social activism.
While the wardrobe controversy drew attention, it was not the primary source of backlash surrounding Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl halftime headliner. Critics focused on the fact that the artist performs almost exclusively in Spanish, a choice that many fans argue clashes with the Super Bowl’s status as a quintessentially American cultural event.
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched television broadcasts in the United States and has traditionally featured performers whose music is predominantly in English and widely accessible to the league’s core American audience. For many critics, selecting an artist whose catalog is overwhelmingly Spanish-language was seen not as a neutral artistic decision, but as a deliberate cultural and political statement.
Despite the criticism, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell publicly defended the decision, insisting the performance would bring viewers together rather than divide them.
“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell said. “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.”
The Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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