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America's top football league will not remove Bad Bunny as the headline performer for the prestigious mid-game entertainment, League chief Roger Goodell stated this week.

In doing so, Goodell reaffirmed the choice to feature the Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage, a move that drew negative reactions from the former president and his political base.

Goodell addressed the controversy during his news conference following the league's autumn gathering. This marks the initial instance he has spoken out on the selection, which has attracted worldwide attention, including a rise in streams of the artist's catalog alongside backlash.

“The decision was thoroughly considered,” the commissioner remarked. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we avoided some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of fans tuning in.”

The reggaeton star, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a vocal opponent of the former leader. He lately opted to do a 31-day residency in his homeland, skipping stops in the continental United States, citing concerns about the expulsion of Hispanic individuals.

The artist, who performs in Spanish, is anticipated to do so at the Super Bowl.

“We’re confident it’s going to be a great show,” the NFL commissioner said. “He is aware of the opportunity that he has, and in my view it’s going to be thrilling and a united moment.”

The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the championship game on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. There is uncertainty if Trump plans to attend, although he has turned appearing in person at major sporting events a key aspect of his current presidency.

The political figure in an interview on right-leaning media Newsmax said he had “never heard of” the performer.

“I don’t know who he is,” Trump stated. “I don’t know the reasoning behind it. It’s, like, crazy. And then, they blame it on an outside booker they contracted to pick up entertainment. I think it’s completely unreasonable.”

The commissioner defended the choice this week, clarifying it was determined because of Bad Bunny’s immense popularity.

“He’s one of the leading and best-loved performers globally,” Goodell affirmed. “That’s what we try to achieve. It represents a crucial platform for us. It serves as a key element to the overall experience.”