The Ultimate Guide: When Is The Next Super Bowl Halftime Show? Date, Time, Performer, And History
The most anticipated 15 minutes in television history is fast approaching, and fans are eager to know the precise moment the music will begin. As of today, December 21, 2025, the next major performance is the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, which is scheduled for Sunday, February 8, 2026. This year’s event is a monumental moment for global music, featuring a confirmed headliner who is set to make history. The game, which determines the champion of the 2026 NFL season, will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the home of the San Francisco 49ers. The kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), which means the halftime spectacle will likely begin between 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show has evolved from a collegiate marching band performance into a global cultural phenomenon, with the musical break often drawing more viewers than the game itself. Knowing the exact time is tricky because the start depends on the pace of the first two quarters of play, but a typical NFL half lasts approximately 90 minutes. Here is the definitive breakdown of when the next show is, who is performing, and the crucial details you need to tune in.
The Next Halftime Show: Super Bowl LX (2026) Official Details
The biggest question—"When is the Halftime Show?"—has a clear answer tied to the NFL’s championship schedule. The event is a fixed part of the Super Bowl, which takes place on the second Sunday of February.
- Event: Super Bowl LX (Super Bowl 60)
- Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026
- Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
- Game Kickoff Time: 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) / 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time (PT)
- Estimated Halftime Show Start Time: Approximately 8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. PT)
- Headliner: Bad Bunny
- Sponsor: Apple Music (Official sponsor of the Halftime Show)
Who is the Performer for Super Bowl LX (2026)?
The headliner for the 2026 Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show is the Puerto Rican superstar, Bad Bunny. This announcement is a landmark moment, as the "Un Verano Sin Ti" artist will be the first male Latin American artist to officially headline the show. His selection is a massive cultural statement, promising a performance that will heavily feature and represent Latino culture on the world's biggest stage.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has previously appeared on the Super Bowl stage during the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show in 2020, where he made a surprise guest appearance alongside Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. This time, he takes the main spotlight, representing the massive global appeal of Latin music.
Rumors for potential guest performers are already swirling, given Bad Bunny's extensive list of high-profile collaborations. Speculation includes appearances from artists he has worked with, such as Cardi B, Jennifer Lopez, J Balvin, and possibly Travis Scott.
How Long is the Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance?
While the entire Super Bowl halftime break is significantly longer than a regular season game, the actual musical performance is a marvel of logistical efficiency. The total halftime break usually lasts between 20 to 30 minutes, which is more than twice the length of a standard NFL game’s 12-minute halftime.
However, the main musical act, the one featuring the headliner like Bad Bunny, is incredibly short and intense. The performance itself is typically a whirlwind 12 to 15 minutes. This short window requires hundreds of crew members to rapidly assemble and disassemble the massive stage on the field, a feat of engineering and coordination that is almost as impressive as the show itself.
The precision required for this 15-minute window is why the start time can only be estimated. Fans should plan to tune in at least 30 minutes before the estimated 8:00 p.m. ET start to ensure they don't miss the first note.
A Look Back: Halftime Show History and Key Entities
The Super Bowl Halftime Show wasn't always a showcase for global pop icons. To understand the spectacle today, it's essential to look at its history and the key moments that transformed it into a must-watch event.
The Evolution of the Super Bowl Spectacle
The first Super Bowl in 1967 featured local collegiate marching bands and cheerleaders. The shift to using major musical acts began in the early 1990s as the NFL sought to prevent viewers from changing the channel during the break. The true game-changer was Michael Jackson's performance at Super Bowl XXVII in 1993, which cemented the event's status as a premier entertainment platform.
Since then, the show has hosted a who's who of music royalty, building topical authority around the event itself:
- Recent Headliners (LSI Entities): Usher (Super Bowl LVIII, 2024), Rihanna (Super Bowl LVII, 2023), The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar (2022), The Weeknd (2021), and the joint performance by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira (2020).
- Record Viewership: The Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, featuring Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, and others, set a viewership record, drawing over 133 million viewers, surpassing the total viewership of the game itself.
The Most Controversial Moments
The high-stakes nature of the show has also led to some of its most controversial moments, proving that the Halftime Show is never far from the cultural spotlight:
- The "Wardrobe Malfunction" (2004): The Super Bowl XXXVIII performance by Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake is perhaps the most famous controversy in the show's history, resulting in a live television crackdown by the FCC and forever changing broadcast standards.
- Prince's Rain Performance (2007): While not controversial, Prince's performance during a torrential downpour at Super Bowl XLI is considered one of the greatest of all time, with the artist performing a show-stopping rendition of "Purple Rain."
- The Disney Production (1995): Super Bowl XXIX featured an odd, elaborate Disney-produced show based on an Indiana Jones reenactment, which is often cited as one of the event's more bizarre historical footnotes.
Looking Ahead: Super Bowl LXI (2027)
For those already planning far in advance, the NFL has also confirmed the details for the following year's championship game, which will host the Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show. This information is crucial for long-term planning for fans and travel enthusiasts.
- Event: Super Bowl LXI (Super Bowl 61)
- Date: Sunday, February 14, 2027
- Location: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California
While the performer for Super Bowl LXI is still to be determined, the anticipation for the 2026 performance by Bad Bunny is already at a fever pitch. The countdown is officially on for February 8, 2026, for what promises to be another unforgettable 12-15 minutes of music history.
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