Surprising amount Bad Bunny is getting paid to perform at the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show
Moderator - Tomas Kauer 
It's the coveted musical event that every major star is desperate to play at.
But despite what you might think, Bad Bunny won't be paid a cent to belt out his hit anthems at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.
"We do not pay the artists," an NFL spokesperson told Forbes in 2016. "We cover expenses and production costs."
Despite featuring global superstars like Usher, Rihanna and Beyonce in recent years, the NFL has maintained its tradition of not paying an appearance fee to the artist.
Instead, they receive the exposure of a lifetime – with the 2025 Super Bowl raking in over 127 million viewers for Kendrick Lamar's performance.
Production costs for such an event can reach an estimated $21 million (US$15 million), so it's definitely an expensive affair regardless.
But according to Sports Illustrated, the NFL does pay performers a minimum fee for their labour.
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For Usher, that was estimated to be $956 (US$671) for his performance and $2565 (US$1,800) for his rehearsals.
One thing's for sure – the world is excited to be seeing Bad Bunny perform on-stage in a matter of hours.
The Puerto Rican superstar, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, just made history at the Grammys with his Album of the Year win for Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
He also won in two other categories, including Best Global Music Performance and Best Música Urbana Album.
He's one of the most streamed artists on the planet, and none of his singles are performed in English.
After his Super Bowl gig he will embark on a world tour, which will include shows in Sydney and Melbourne.
Despite his massive worldwide success, the singer avoided mainland America altogether in an unheard-of move – telling i-D magazine that feared ICE agents "could be outside" his concerts.
Instead, he held a 31-day residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, in Puerto Rico, forcing fans and stars like LeBron James to fly to the island to see him perform.
The move generated an estimated $US733 million ($1 billion) in revenue for the local economy.
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