Why are the Rams the away team at Super Bowl 56?

Even though the Los Angeles Rams get to play in Super Bowl 56 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium, they are actually the road team.

Despite getting to sleep in their own beds on Saturday night, the Los Angeles Rams are the road team in Super Bowl 56 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.

Though the NFC champions are the second team in Super Bowl history to play in the spectacular event in their own stadium, the Rams are technically the road team. While the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the home team last year vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, the reason the Rams are the road team is because the AFC and NFC alternate being home and away in every single Super Bowl.

Yes, it is really that simple, but that is why the Rams are not officially the home team on Sunday.

Super Bowl 56: Why the Los Angeles Rams are the road team at SoFi Stadium

With the Super Bowl location scheduled years in advance, typically in domed stadiums or in cities with pleasant winter climates, it is exceedingly rare for a team to play the big game in its own stadium. Not only does the team have to be great, but it has to be great in the same year in which their venue is being used for the Super Bowl. Two NFL franchises call SoFi Stadium home, though.

Had the Los Angeles Chargers lived up to lofty expectations this year, they could have been the second team to play a Super Bowl in their own building. The only difference between them and the Rams in this scenario is that the Bolts would have been viewed as the home team because the Chargers play in the AFC West. SoFi Stadium is expected to be part of future Super Bowl rotations.

Even if the Rams are playing at home, SoFi Stadium crowds are usually dominated by the visitors.