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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 on Wednesday.

In doing so, Goodell stood by the choice to place the Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage, a move that sparked criticism from Donald Trump and some of his supporters.

Goodell addressed the debate during his media briefing following the league's autumn gathering. This marks the initial instance he has spoken out on the appointment, which has attracted worldwide attention, including a surge in streams of Bad Bunny’s music alongside opposition.

“The decision was thoroughly considered,” Goodell said. “I doubt we have chosen an artist where we didn’t have pushback or disapproval. It’s challenging to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people tuning in.”

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a vocal opponent of the former leader. He recently opted to do a 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, avoiding performances in the mainland US, referencing apprehensions about the mass deportation of Latinos.

The 31-year-old, who performs primarily in his native language, is anticipated to continue this at the big game.

“We believe it will deliver a great show,” Goodell said. “He understands the platform that he’s on, and in my view it will prove exciting and a united moment.”

The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the championship game on 8 February at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area. It is unclear if Trump plans to be there, though he has made physical attendance at high-profile games a key aspect of his current presidency.

The political figure in an interview on conservative news network Newsmax claimed he had “never heard of” the performer.

“I don’t know his identity,” he stated. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. And then, they blame it on an outside booker they contracted to pick up entertainment. In my opinion it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

The commissioner supported the decision on Wednesday, clarifying it was determined because of Bad Bunny’s immense popularity.

“He’s one of the top and most popular performers globally,” Goodell affirmed. “That’s what we aim to achieve. It’s an important platform for us. It serves as a key element to the entertainment value.”