Taylor Swift's Halftime Demand Reportedly Rejected by NFL

The announcement that Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show has disappointed Taylor Swift fans hoping to see her perform on the world’s biggest concert stage, viewed by hundreds of millions annually. 

Recent performers include Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Usher, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem, with Adele recently linked to next year’s show.Swift, recently engaged to Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, is one of the biggest pop stars globally but has yet to perform at the Super Bowl. 

Swift expressed interest in headlining Super Bowl 60 but demanded to retain ownership of her performance footage and secure promotional slots for her projects, similar to her efforts to control her music masters. The NFL reportedly rejected these terms outright.

An industry source told NBC affiliate WCNC, “Taylor knows the ratings and global attention she brings. She wasn’t going to give that away for free. She wanted a deal that matched her value.”

Speculation about Swift performing intensified after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared on the Today show last month, praising her as a “special talent” and saying she’d be welcome to perform. When pressed about plans, he remained coy, saying, “I can’t tell you anything about it.”

The 2026 halftime show will now feature Bad Bunny, a global music powerhouse. Fresh off his seventh album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, and a historic 30-concert residency in Puerto Rico attended by 500,000 fans, he continues to dominate as one of the world’s most-streamed artists.