You’re staring at the calendar, and it’s finally here. The snacks are bought, the jersey is slightly too tight from last year, and the group chat is already vibrating off the table with prop bet ideas. But the one thing everyone keeps asking—the question that somehow gets lost in the hype every single year—is exactly what time super bowl starts.
Honestly, it’s understandable. Between the three hours of pre-game analysis, the flyovers, and the star-studded national anthem, the actual "foot meets ball" moment feels like a moving target.
For 2026, we are heading to the San Francisco Bay Area. Super Bowl LX (that's 60 for those of us who haven't brushed up on Roman numerals since middle school) is taking over Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. If you’re trying to time your wings so they’re still crispy when the coin flips, you need the hard numbers.
The Official Kickoff: What Time Super Bowl Starts
The NFL is a creature of habit. While they love a good spectacle, they generally stick to a rigid television schedule to appease the gods of advertising.
Super Bowl LX kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
If you’re watching from other time zones, here is how that breaks down:
- Pacific Time: 3:30 p.m. (Since the game is in California, this is the local time.)
- Mountain Time: 4:30 p.m.
- Central Time: 5:30 p.m.
- Eastern Time: 6:30 p.m.
Don't expect the ball to be in the air at 6:30:00 on the dot. Usually, there’s about five to seven minutes of "ceremonial fluff"—introductions, the anthem, and the coin toss—before the actual play begins. But if you aren't in front of the TV by 6:25 p.m., you’re basically playing with fire.
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Where to Watch and Who’s Calling the Game
This year, the broadcast rights belong to NBC.
Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth are expected to be the voices in your living room, bringing that familiar Sunday Night Football energy to the biggest stage of all. If you’re a cord-cutter, you aren't out of luck. You can stream the whole thing on Peacock, which has become the go-to hub for NBC’s major sports events.
For the Spanish-language broadcast, Telemundo has you covered.
One thing people often overlook? The 4K situation. NBC typically tries to push the envelope with their Super Bowl tech. If you have a 4K-capable device and a provider that supports it (like YouTube TV’s 4K tier or certain Xfinity packages), this is the one game where it actually makes a difference. You can see the individual blades of grass—or at least the sweat on the coach's forehead when he decides to go for it on 4th and goal.
The Halftime Show: When Does Bad Bunny Take the Stage?
Let's be real. Half the people at your party aren't there for the coverage shells or the zone blitzes. They’re there for the halftime show.
This year, the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show features Bad Bunny. It's a massive deal—the first time a Latin male artist is headlining the solo slot.
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Since a standard NFL half takes about 90 minutes of real-world time (including timeouts and commercials), you can expect the halftime show to start around 8:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET.
The performance itself usually lasts about 12 to 15 minutes. It's a miracle of engineering; a small army of stagehands puts together a massive concert stage in roughly seven minutes, the performance happens, and then they tear it down just as fast so the players can get back to work.
The Pregame Rituals: Anthem and More
The NFL isn't just a game; it's a marathon. Before you even get to what time super bowl starts, there’s a lineup of performers that rivals most music festivals.
- The National Anthem: This year, Charlie Puth is handling "The Star-Spangled Banner."
- America the Beautiful: Brandi Carlile will be performing this iconic piece.
- Lift Every Voice and Sing: Performed by Coco Jones.
These usually happen in the 20-minute window leading up to kickoff. If you want to see the flyover—which is arguably the coolest part of the pre-game—make sure you're tuned in by 6:10 p.m. ET.
Why 2026 is Different: The Olympic Overlay
There is a weird quirk this year. NBC is juggling a "Super Season."
Because the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina are happening at the same time, NBC is basically running a 24/7 sports buffet. They are calling it a "bundled" experience. You’ll likely see plenty of Olympic promos during the Super Bowl, and NBC is even using the same production resources for both.
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It’s the first time we’ve had this kind of overlap where one network is handling two of the world’s biggest sporting events simultaneously. Expect the production value to be through the roof, but also expect the commercial breaks to feel a little more frantic than usual.
Avoid the "Buffer" Disaster
If you are streaming, here is a piece of expert advice: restart your router on Sunday morning.
Millions of people will be hitting the servers at the exact same time. If you’re using Peacock or a live TV service like Hulu + Live TV, you might experience a "lag" of about 30 to 60 seconds compared to the "live" cable broadcast.
This means if your friends are texting you about a touchdown while your screen still shows the team at the 20-yard line, you need to put your phone face down. There is nothing worse than having a game-winning play spoiled by a "TOUCHDOWN!!!" text from your brother who still pays for a cable box.
Actionable Tips for Game Day
To make sure your Super Bowl Sunday doesn't end in a cold pizza disaster or a missed kickoff, follow this timeline:
- 12:00 p.m. ET: Get your heavy cooking out of the way (chili, slow-cooker meats).
- 4:00 p.m. ET: Turn on the pre-game show just to check your connection. If Peacock is acting up, you have two hours to troubleshoot.
- 5:30 p.m. ET: Start the "final assembly" of snacks. Air fry the frozen stuff now.
- 6:15 p.m. ET: Phones away. The National Anthem begins shortly, and the kickoff is imminent.
- 10:15 p.m. ET: Expected game end. If there’s overtime, cancel your Monday morning meetings.
The Super Bowl is the one time of year where the "start time" is more of a cultural event than a clock setting. Get the timing right, and you're the hero of the party. Get it wrong, and you're watching the highlights on Twitter while everyone else is talking about the best commercial.
Make sure your apps are updated, your snacks are staged, and your remote has fresh batteries.