Look, we've all been there. You've got the wings in the oven, the dip is chilled, and your friends are starting to filter through the front door, but nobody actually knows when the game starts. You check three different sites, and one says 6:00, another says 6:30, and your uncle insists it's 5:45 because of the "pre-game flyover." It is a mess.
Every single year, the question of when is the super bowl kickoff becomes a frantic Google search roughly two hours before the coin toss.
For Super Bowl LX (that’s 60 for those of us who aren't Roman scholars), the schedule is locked in. The game is happening on Sunday, February 8, 2026. If you are looking for the precise moment the ball leaves the tee at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the official time is 6:30 p.m. ET.
But wait. "Kickoff" is a bit of a loose term in the world of NFL broadcasting.
The Kickoff Time "Window" and Why It Matters
When the NFL says 6:30 p.m. ET, they don't mean the ball is in the air at 6:30:00. This isn't a Swiss train station.
Usually, the broadcast officially starts much earlier, but the "kickoff" window actually encompasses the National Anthem, the coin toss, and those final high-intensity montages narrated by a Hollywood celebrity. Honestly, if you sit down at 6:30 p.m. sharp, you’ll probably catch Charlie Puth hitting the final notes of the Star-Spangled Banner. Actual gameplay usually begins closer to 6:40 p.m. ET.
Here is how that breaks down across the country so you don't miss the opening drive:
- Eastern Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Central Time: 5:30 p.m.
- Mountain Time: 4:30 p.m.
- Pacific Time: 3:30 p.m. (Local time at the stadium)
If you're hosting, tell people to arrive at least an hour early. You don't want someone knocking on the door while the kicker is mid-stride. Plus, the pre-game festivities at Levi's Stadium are going to be a whole thing this year, especially with the 10-year anniversary of Super Bowl 50 being hosted at the same spot.
Who is broadcasting the big game?
NBC has the reins for Super Bowl LX. They’re actually pulling a bit of a double-header this year because the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina will be happening at the exact same time. It’s a massive logistics puzzle for the network.
You’ll be seeing Mike Tirico on the play-by-play and Cris Collinsworth in the booth. If you’re a cord-cutter, you aren't left out in the cold. You can stream the whole thing on Peacock. Just make sure your internet can handle the bandwidth of a few million people trying to watch a 4K stream simultaneously. There’s also Telemundo for the Spanish-language broadcast, which is always high-energy.
The Bad Bunny Factor
Let's talk about the halftime show. This isn't just a football game; it's a concert that happens to have a game around it.
Bad Bunny is headlining. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of Un Verano Sin Ti or you just know him as the guy who showed up in WWE, this is a massive cultural moment. He is the first solo Spanish-speaking artist to headline the show.
Because of the scale of the halftime production, the game "clock" for the Super Bowl is way different than a regular Sunday night game. A normal halftime is about 12 minutes. The Super Bowl? It's closer to 30. If the game starts at 6:30 p.m. ET, expect Bad Bunny to take the stage somewhere around 8:00 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. ET.
Why Santa Clara?
Levi’s Stadium is basically the tech capital of the NFL. It sits right in the heart of Silicon Valley. This is the second time the 49ers' home turf has hosted the Super Bowl, and the NFL loves the infrastructure there.
However, there is one thing that catches fans off guard every time: the location. If you’re flying in for the game, you aren't actually in San Francisco. Santa Clara is about 40 miles south. If you try to stay at a hotel near the Golden Gate Bridge and think you'll just "pop over" to the game, you're looking at a soul-crushing hour-plus of Bay Area traffic.
The logo for this year actually features the Golden Gate Bridge and redwood trees, which is a nice touch, but it definitely contributes to the confusion about where the game is actually played. It's in the South Bay, folks.
The Timeline You Actually Need
If you want to plan your Sunday like a pro, here is the "real" schedule:
- 7:00 a.m. ET: NFL Network starts their "Super Bowl Gold" coverage. This is for the obsessives who need 12 hours of build-up.
- 1:00 p.m. ET: NBC starts their formal pre-game show. This is where you get the human interest stories and the "road to the Super Bowl" packages.
- 6:00 p.m. ET: This is the "get to your seat" moment. The player introductions start around here.
- 6:30 p.m. ET: The official broadcast start for when is the super bowl kickoff.
- 6:40 p.m. ET: The actual foot-meets-leather moment.
- 8:10 p.m. ET (Approx): Halftime begins. Bad Bunny descends from the rafters (probably).
- 10:00 p.m. ET: The trophy presentation. Unless it goes to overtime—then god help your Monday morning plans.
Don't Forget the Winter Olympics
Since the Super Bowl is airing on NBC during the Winter Olympics, the network is doing something called "The Super Gold Sunday." They are going to be weaving Olympic updates into the pre-game. It’s going to be a bit overwhelming if you aren't a sports junkie.
Just keep in mind that the "official" kickoff time remains the anchor. Everything else orbits around that 6:30 p.m. ET slot.
Actionable Steps for Game Day
If you want to ensure you actually see the game without technical glitches or timing errors, do these three things:
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- Test your stream on Saturday: If you are using Peacock or a live TV service like YouTube TV or Fubo, log in the day before. Update the app. There is nothing worse than an "Update Required" screen at 6:29 p.m.
- Sync your clock to ET: Even if you live in California, keep that 6:30 p.m. ET time in your head. It prevents the "wait, did I miss it?" panic that happens when you're calculating time zones while three beers deep.
- Buy a digital antenna: Seriously. If your internet goes down because everyone in your neighborhood is streaming, an over-the-air (OTA) antenna will pick up the local NBC station for free in high definition. It is the best $20 insurance policy for a football fan.
The Super Bowl is the one time a year where the commercials, the music, and the game are on equal footing. Knowing the exact kickoff time isn't just about the game—it’s about timing the pizza delivery so it arrives while the ball is still in the air.