Turning Point USA halftime Super Bowl show lineup revealed – and everyone is saying the same thing

The stage is set for Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, but the headlines surrounding the event are increasingly dominated by a deepening cultural and political chasm. While the NFL has officially tapped global phenomenon Bad Bunny to headline its halftime extravaganza, a significant counter-movement has emerged from the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA (TPUSA). In a direct challenge to the league’s programming choices, TPUSA has announced its own “All-American Halftime Show,” a move that highlights the ongoing friction between traditional sports entertainment and the polarized values of the American public.

The friction ignited almost the moment the NFL confirmed Bad Bunny as its marquee performer. Born in Puerto Rico and a U.S. citizen, the artist is a juggernaut of the music industry, yet his selection immediately drew fire from right-wing commentators and political figures. Chief among the critics was President Donald Trump, who publicly questioned the league’s direction. Admitting he was unfamiliar with the superstar, Trump dismissed the choice as “crazy” and “terrible,” suggesting the NFL had surrendered its entertainment decisions to outside interests that were disconnected from its core audience. He further signaled his disapproval by stating he would not attend the game, warning that the selection would only serve to “sow hatred.”

For his part, Bad Bunny has leaned into his role as both a cultural icon and a political provocateur. His accolades are historic; at the 2026 Grammys, he became the first artist to win Album of the Year for a Spanish-language project, alongside wins for Best Música Urbana Album and Best Global Music Performance. During his acceptance speech, he delivered a pointed message aimed at immigration enforcement, declaring, “ICE out. We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.” His 2025 track “Nuevayol” took the confrontation even further, featuring a simulated version of Trump’s voice offering an apology to immigrants—a bold artistic choice that solidified his stance on identity and belonging in the United States.

Known for performing almost exclusively in Spanish, Bad Bunny has shown no intention of changing his approach for the Super Bowl’s massive audience. During a hosting stint on Saturday Night Live in late 2025, he addressed the language barrier with characteristic bluntness, telling viewers that if they couldn’t understand him, they had “four months to learn.”

This unapologetic embrace of Spanish-language artistry provided the impetus for Turning Point USA’s alternative broadcast. Under the leadership of Erika Kirk—who stepped into the role following the death of the organization’s founder, Charlie Kirk—TPUSA initially kept its lineup under wraps, allowing speculation to build. This week, however, the organization unveiled a roster designed to appeal to those who feel alienated by the NFL’s “Global Pop” direction. The “All-American” counter-show will feature Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.

The selection of Kid Rock is perhaps the most symbolic. A vocal ally of Donald Trump and a long-standing figure in conservative cultural circles, Rock frames the competing broadcast as a “David and Goliath” struggle. He acknowledged the difficulty of challenging the “pro-football machine” but doubled down on the mission to provide an alternative for those who “love America.” However, this framing has not been without its own internal contradictions. Critics were quick to point out that Kid Rock’s extensive discography is filled with explicit lyrics and themes that stand in stark contrast to the “Christian” and “family-friendly” values often championed by Turning Point USA.

The country music contingent of the lineup—Gilbert, Brice, and American Idol alumna Gabby Barrett—represents a safe, genre-specific pivot toward the nonprofit’s target demographic. The lineup received a significant boost from political figures like J.D. Vance, who praised the roster on social media, specifically highlighting “Bob Ritchie AKA Kid Rock” as a “fantastic” choice for the event.

Despite this support, the public and online reaction has been fractured. Skeptics have taken to social media to mock the cultural relevance of the TPUSA event, with many labeling it as “un-American” to host a competing show specifically to oppose an American citizen like Bad Bunny. Some users joked that the lineup felt like a “halftime playlist from 2008,” suggesting that the event might struggle to resonate with a modern audience. There is also a notable generational divide; Gen Z commenters, in particular, have expressed confusion over why a Spanish-language performance by a citizen is being framed as an affront to American values, while simultaneously noting the irony of headlining a “Christian-values” show with an artist known for his profane and rebellious lyrics.

Beyond the artists themselves, the competing shows represent a struggle for the “soul” of the Super Bowl’s cultural footprint. For the NFL, Bad Bunny represents the league’s push toward a global, multi-lingual, and youth-oriented future—one that recognizes the massive influence of Latino culture in the United States and abroad. For Turning Point USA, the alternative show is an attempt to reclaim a sense of “traditional” Americanism that they feel is being erased by the encroachment of globalism and left-leaning political messaging in sports.

As February 8 approaches, the duel between these two broadcasts will serve as a real-time metric of American sentiment. The NFL’s official show will undoubtedly command the vast majority of the audience, backed by the sheer scale of the league’s media apparatus. However, Turning Point USA isn’t necessarily playing for a majority; they are playing for a movement. By positioning their event as a sanctuary for those who feel ignored by mainstream media, they are reinforcing a cultural silo that exists entirely parallel to the official Super Bowl festivities.

The spectacle of Super Bowl LX has, in many ways, become secondary to the conversation surrounding it. Whether viewers choose the global, Spanish-language energy of Bad Bunny or the country-rock defiance of TPUSA’s “All-American” stage, the choice itself is a political act. The stadium may be filled with football fans, but the airwaves will be a battlefield of language, identity, and conflicting definitions of what it means to be an American in 2026. The real score of the game might be tallied in television ratings, but the cultural impact will be measured in the ongoing debate over whose values are represented on the nation’s biggest stage.