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America's top football league will not remove Bad Bunny as the headline performer for the Super Bowl halftime show, League chief Roger Goodell stated this week.

With this affirmation, Goodell reaffirmed the choice to place the internationally acclaimed singer on the league’s biggest stage, a move that sparked negative reactions from Donald Trump and his political base.

Goodell addressed the controversy during his news conference following the annual fall owners meeting. This marks the first time he has spoken out on the selection, which has attracted worldwide attention, including a surge in streams of the artist's catalog alongside backlash.

“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell remarked. “I doubt we’ve ever selected an performer where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s challenging to do when you have truly countless viewers of fans that are watching.”

The reggaeton star, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a outspoken critic of Trump. He recently opted to do a 31-day residency in his homeland, avoiding stops in the mainland US, referencing concerns about the expulsion of Hispanic individuals.

The artist, who performs in Spanish, is expected to do so at the big game.

“We’re confident it’s going to be a spectacular performance,” the NFL commissioner commented. “He understands the opportunity that he has, and in my view it’s going to be thrilling and a unifying moment.”

The host team are hosting the championship game on 8 February at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area. It is unclear if the former president intends to attend, although he has made physical attendance at major sporting events a key aspect of his second term.

Trump during a discussion on conservative news network the outlet said he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know his identity,” he stated. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It seems absurd. Additionally, they attribute it to an outside booker they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

The commissioner supported the decision this week, explaining it was made because of the artist’s immense popularity.

“He ranks among the leading and best-loved performers in the world,” Goodell affirmed. “That’s what we try to achieve. It represents a crucial platform for the league. It’s an important component to the entertainment value.”