The NFL thought it was simply announcing a halftime headliner. Instead, the league has found itself at the center of a political and cultural firestorm after revealing that Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny will perform at the 2026 Super Bowl. Within hours, legendary guitarist Eric Clapton erupted with a tirade that is now shaking both sports and music industries.

Clapton’s reaction was as explosive as it was unexpected. “Bad Bunny is the Spanish-singing puppet of the Left, and the league has just declared war on America!” he declared, sparking immediate outrage and debate. His words, delivered with the same fire he once poured into his guitar solos, have set social media ablaze.

The musician accused the NFL of bowing to political correctness and using America’s biggest sporting event as a platform for partisan messaging. “This is not entertainment, it’s propaganda,” Clapton reportedly told fans during a backstage conversation. By choosing Bad Bunny, he argues, the league has crossed a line that alienates its traditional audience.

Fans are divided. Supporters of Clapton see his statement as a bold defense of cultural integrity, praising him for standing up against what they describe as “forced politics in sports.” Critics, however, are blasting him as intolerant and out of touch with the global reach of modern music.

Bad Bunny himself has yet to respond to Clapton’s remarks, but his fan base remains largely unfazed. The reggaeton and Latin trap superstar has sold out arenas worldwide, and for many, his Super Bowl performance represents progress and diversity on the biggest stage in American entertainment. To them, Clapton’s outburst only underscores a generational and cultural divide.

The NFL has issued a brief statement defending its decision, calling Bad Bunny “a global icon whose music transcends borders.” Executives insist the choice was based on artistic relevance and worldwide popularity, not politics. Still, the backlash highlights how the halftime show has become a symbolic battlefield over identity and culture.

As the controversy grows, one thing is clear: Eric Clapton’s words are not fading quietly into the noise. They are being debated on television, dissected online, and amplified across the political spectrum. What began as a simple entertainment announcement is now a cultural flashpoint — one that could echo long after the final whistle of Super Bowl Sunday.