Taylor Swift won’t be the 2026 Super Bowl halftime star after talks with the NFL stalled. The main sticking point was Swift’s insistence on owning the rights to her performance footage and including promotion for her upcoming projects. The NFL reportedly rejected these conditions, causing Swift to decline the offer.
The NFL officially announced Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny as the halftime act on September 28. Commissioner Roger Goodell had kept the door open for Swift, praising her talents, but nothing materialized.
Swift’s popularity surged further with her engagement to NFL player Travis Kelce, raising expectations for a collaboration. Insiders say Swift knew her worth and didn’t want to relinquish control of her performance, which the NFL opposed.
