February in Northern California is usually a bit of a gamble with the weather, but nobody is thinking about rain right now. They're thinking about the schedule. If you're trying to figure out what time is the Super Bowl this year, you’re looking at a standard kickoff that the NFL has basically turned into a law of nature.
Super Bowl LX (that's 60 for those of us who stopped tracking Roman numerals in middle school) is happening on Sunday, February 8, 2026. Kickoff is officially set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
But wait. If you’ve ever actually watched a Super Bowl, you know "6:30" is a bit of a loose suggestion. That's when the TV broadcast usually switches from the five hours of pre-game hype to the actual field ceremonies. The ball usually doesn't leave the tee until about 6:40 p.m. or 6:45 p.m. ET. If you show up at the couch at 6:30 on the dot, you’re just in time to catch the National Anthem and the coin toss.
Breaking Down the Super Bowl 2026 Start Time by Zone
Honestly, the West Coast fans have it the best this year. Since the game is being played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California—home of the San Francisco 49ers—the local fans get a mid-afternoon start.
Here is how the clock looks depending on where you're sitting:
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- Pacific Time: 3:30 p.m.
- Mountain Time: 4:30 p.m.
- Central Time: 5:30 p.m.
- Eastern Time: 6:30 p.m.
If you’re tuning in from London, God bless you, because you’re looking at an 11:30 p.m. GMT start. Germany? You’re pushing into 12:30 a.m. CET on Monday morning. It’s a long night of coffee and wings for the international crowd.
Where to Watch and Who’s on the Mic
NBC has the honors this year. This is part of the league’s big rotation between the major networks. Because NBC is also carrying the 2026 Winter Olympics from Milan right now, they’re basically owning the entire month of February.
You can find the game on:
- NBC (Your local broadcast channel)
- Telemundo (For the Spanish-language broadcast)
- Peacock (The primary streaming home)
- NFL+ (Mobile and tablet streaming)
Mike Tirico is expected to lead the play-by-play, with Cris Collinsworth providing the "Now here's a guy" analysis we've all come to expect. On the sidelines, Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung will be handling the updates.
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The Bad Bunny Halftime Show
The NFL finally went and did it. After years of speculation, Bad Bunny is headlining the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show.
If you're wondering what time the halftime show starts, it's a moving target. Since a standard NFL half takes about 90 minutes with commercials and game stoppages, expect the Benito spectacle to kick off around 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET.
Roger Goodell defended the choice recently, noting that Bad Bunny is one of the biggest artists on the planet. It’s a massive play for the league’s global audience. We also know that Charlie Puth is slated for the National Anthem, and Brandi Carlile will be performing "America the Beautiful."
What’s different about Levi’s Stadium this time?
This is the second time the "Big Game" has come to Santa Clara. The first was Super Bowl 50 back in 2016 when Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset with the Broncos.
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Levi’s Stadium isn’t actually in San Francisco—it’s about 40 miles south. If you’re traveling for the game, don't book a hotel in downtown SF unless you enjoy a very long commute on the Caltrain or a nightmare Uber ride on the 101. The NFL is hosting most of its fan "Experience" events at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, but the actual gridiron action is deep in the heart of Silicon Valley.
A Quick Look at the Matchup
As of mid-January, we don't have the final two teams yet. The Divisional Round is currently heating up with the Seahawks, Broncos, and Rams looking like serious contenders. There’s a huge narrative building around the 49ers potentially playing a Super Bowl on their own home turf, which hasn't happened often in NFL history (the Bucs and Rams both did it recently and won).
Actionable Tips for Game Day
To make sure your Sunday doesn't turn into a logistical disaster, keep these things in mind:
- Update your Peacock app now. Don't wait until 6:25 p.m. ET to find out your smart TV needs a 400MB update.
- Plan for a 10:00 p.m. ET finish. Most Super Bowls run about three and a half hours. If there's a blackout or a long injury delay, it can push later.
- Sync your social media. If you’re watching on a stream, you might be 30 seconds behind the "live" broadcast. Turn off those phone notifications if you don't want your brother-in-law texting you "TOUCHDOWN!" before the play even starts on your screen.
Get your grocery run done by Saturday. By Sunday at noon, every grocery store in the country is basically a mosh pit for the last bag of tortilla chips.