Taylor Swift reveals why she ‘turned down’ Super Bowl Halftime Show performance; Is it about Travis Kelce?

Taylor Swift explained her decision to decline the Super Bowl halftime show, emphasizing her respect for the sport and her fiancé Travis Kelce.

Taylor Swift has discussed the reasons for her decision to "turn down" the chance to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show.

Taylor Swift has chosen not to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, stating her decision is not linked to her fiancé, Travis Kelce. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File) (AP)

Swift, one of the most well-known singers in the world, has not yet performed in the Super Bowl halftime show. She recently got engaged with Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.

While Swift's performance at the 2026 Super Bowl was rumored to be finalized, Bad Bunny has since been revealed to be the first male Latin artist to do so.

Bad Bunny, who primarily sings in Spanish, has been an outspoken critic of US President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

Swift attended the 2025 Super Bowl, where the Chiefs lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 40–22.

The 35-year-old was also present at the 2024 Super Bowl, where her now-fiancé, Kelce, led the Chiefs to a slim victory over the 49ers, 25–22.

If Kelce and the Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in a row and the sixth in eight seasons, the singer will probably appear in the game again in 2026.

Taylor Swift on Super Bowl Halftime Show performance

During her appearance on The Tonight Show on October 7, Swift stated, “Here's the thing, Jay-Z has always been very good to me.”

“Our teams are really close. They sometimes will call and say, ‘How does she feel about the Super Bowl?’ And that's not an official offer or like a conference room conversation—we’re really close, it’s like, ‘How does she feel about it in general?’”

Following her declaration that she is "in love with a guy [Kelce] who does that sport on that actual field," the pop star went on to characterize the sport as “violent chess.”

“Can you imagine if he’s out there every single week, putting his life on the line, doing this very dangerous, very high-pressure, high-intensity sport, and I’m like, ‘I wonder what my choreo should be? I think we should do two verses of “Shake It Up,” into “Blank Space,” into “Cruel Summer,” that would be great!’”

Is it about Travis Kelce?

Swift was eager to emphasize that the decision to not perform at Super Bowl “has nothing to do” with Kelce.

Next year in February, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, will host the 2026 Super Bowl.