No, Taylor Swift did not turn down the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift has addressed rumors surrounding the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, clarifying that she did not turn down the opportunity to perform. The 2026 halftime show will be headlined by Bad Bunny.

During a visit to “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Monday, Swift dispelled several misconceptions. Most notably, she denied claims circulating online that she rejected the NFL’s biggest stage because she wouldn’t be allowed to own the performance footage. “No, no, no,” Swift firmly stated.

The Super Bowl halftime show is produced by the NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation — the entertainment company founded by music mogul Jay-Z. “Jay-Z has always been very good to me. Our teams are really close. Like, they sometimes will call and say, ‘How does she feel about the Super Bowl?’ And that’s not like an official offer or, like, an official conference room conversation,” Swift explained to Fallon.

She went on to reveal her true reason for not committing to the show: “We’re always able to tell him the truth, which is that, like, I am in love with a guy who does that sport on that actual field,” she said, referring to her fiancé Travis Kelce — a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion.

“Like, that is violent chess. That is gladiators without swords. That is dangerous. The whole season I am locked in on what that man is doing on the field,” Swift added. “Can you imagine if he’s out there every single week, like putting his life on the line, doing this very dangerous, very high pressure, high intensity sport and I’m like, ‘I wonder what my choreography should be?’”

Jokingly, she continued, “‘I think we should do two verses of ‘Shake It Off’ into ‘Blank Space’ into ‘Cruel Summer’ would be great.’ And this is nothing to do with Travis, he would love for me to do it, I’m just too locked in.”

Last month, it was announced that global superstar Bad Bunny will bring his Latin trap, reggaeton swagger, and Puerto Rican pride to the Super Bowl halftime show live from Levi’s Stadium on February 8 in Santa Clara, California.

The casting is widely seen as ideal: Bad Bunny recently completed a historic Puerto Rico residency that drew more than half a million fans and is leading all nominees at the Latin Grammys this November.

In a statement, Bad Bunny said, “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history.”

Adding to the excitement, Bad Bunny hosted the season 51 premiere of “Saturday Night Live” on Saturday, sharing a few jokes about his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance.
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