The Super Bowl, the major annual sporting event, pits the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara on Sunday, in a political climate made even more tense by the choice of Bad Bunny for the halftime concert.

More than 120 million Americans are expected to tune in to the final of the all-powerful NFL league, which angered Donald Trump by choosing Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny, a critic of the president's violent anti-immigration policies, to host a show at least as popular as the game.

The Seahawks are considered slight favorites thanks to their defense. The Patriots are aiming for a record 7th title but weren't expected to reach this level after several lackluster seasons following the 2019 departure of "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time) Tom Brady.

The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. local time (11:30 p.m. GMT) at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, southeast of San Francisco. All eyes will then be on Bad Bunny for the traditional halftime show.

- All eyes on Bad Bunny -

A global star with his reggaeton infused with Latin trap, the Puerto Rican artist vehemently criticizes Donald Trump's repressive immigration policies, which in turn angered the NFL's choice. The Republican leader, who was the first president in history to attend a Super Bowl last year in New Orleans, will be absent from the event, denouncing it as a "horrible choice."

Joined by the rock band Green Day, also critics of Trump, Bad Bunny is expected to be the first artist to sing exclusively in Spanish during this major annual show.

The singer had called on February 1st to put "ICE out" ("ICE out") during his triumph at the Grammy Awards ceremony, the American music awards.

The practices of federal immigration enforcement are being denounced, especially since early January, when its agents shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, in Minneapolis. Other federal agents killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old American nurse, in late January in the same Minnesota city, during the anti-ICE protests.

In response to this tragic news, Bad Bunny promised "a huge party" this week, with the audience, according to him, "only having to worry about dancing" during a show whose content remains a secret. Will he also use this unique platform to deliver a political message?

- Maye versus Darnold -

On the field, the Patriots will try to recapture their glory from the beginning of the century, when the "Evil Empire" was crowned champion six times between 2002 and 2019.

The Patriots had been one of the worst teams in the league for the previous two seasons, with only eight wins in total over those two years. The transformation began after the appointment in March 2025 of Mike Vrabel, a 50-year-old coach and former teammate of Tom Brady.

If successful, they would become the first franchise with seven titles, ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers (6).

The Massachusetts franchise has found a new gem at the quarterback position, with Drake Maye, who at 23 years old is vying to become the youngest player in history to start at this key position and lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Maye, with his long passes and ball-handling skills, will have to overcome the Seahawks' fierce defense, the most effective against opposing QBs.

The Washington State team will rely on its own ball handler, Sam Darnold (28 years old), an unknown player who unsuccessfully went through four franchises before finding the light in the northwest of the country this season.

Seattle has only one trophy to its name, in 2014, a year before its last appearance at the Super Bowl for a loss against the Patriots, already.

"We're in great shape. The guys are in a good frame of mind," said Seattle team coach Mike Macdonald Saturday after practice.

To get their revenge, Sam Darnold will have to prove his worth in a high-stakes match.

"He's a guy who never gives up and a competitor, a winner," Mike Macdonald told AFP.