Super Bowl Sunday becomes the epicenter of sports every year. Heck, there are too many people to count who might not have watched a single NFL game all season, but will still be tuning in to watch the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots battle for the Super Bowl this year. It's a game that goes beyond just sports fans, and has unequivocally become a cultural event that can't be missed. But for those viewers who aren't tuning into the NFL all season, that leaves some details that you'll probably need to know — not the least of which is when the game starts!
When you have a group over for a Super Bowl party, or are just trying to watch the game yourself, the last thing you want is to be late to the start. That's where we've got you covered, in addition to everything you need to know to watch the game, and even a prediction for the Seahawks-Patriots matchup.
What time does the Super Bowl start?
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
- Kickoff Time: 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT
- Location: Levi's Stadium – Santa Clara, CA
The Seahawks-Patriots matchup for Super Bowl LX will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET, 3:30 p.m. PT, the latter being the local kickoff time. In recent years, to maximize viewership numbers for the most-watched game of the year, the 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff has been the standard set by the NFL, even when the game is played on the West Coast, just as it is this year at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
Meanwhile, though the game doesn't kick off until 6:30 p.m. ET, the pregame show, which will feature the likes Maria Taylor, Chris Simms, Matthew Berry and many other talents from NBC, will begin at 1 p.m. ET on NBC. There will be plenty of features, interviews and so much more to get fans in the right mindset for the game.
What channel is Super Bowl 2026 on? Full broadcast information
- TV Channel: NBC
- Announcers: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark (sideline), Kaylee Hartung (sideline)
- Streaming: Peacock
Super Bowl LX will be broadcast on NBC as it's their turn in the NFL's rotation between the three major networks. That means we'll have the normal Sunday Night Football duo of Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on the call for the broadcast in play-by-play and analyst roles, respectively. The only new addition to the crew that typically doesn't work on Sunday Night Football with the NBC broadcasts is Hartung as one of the sideline reporters, as she typically works with Prime Video on Thursday Night Football.
NBC having the broadcast means that the game will also be streaming on Peacock. It's available via a paid subscription, and will have all of the pregame show and full broadcast of the Super Bowl as well, in addition to some alternative feeds for different ways to watch the game.
Latest Super Bowl LX odds and Seahawks-Patriots reaction
- Point Spread: Seahawks -4.5
- Moneyline: Seahawks -245, Patriots +200
- O/U Total: 45.5 points
The Seahawks have been consistently favored in this matchup, opening as 4.5-point favorites and staying there since the AFC and NFC Championship Games concluded to give us this Super Bowl matchup. Part of that is due to the Seahawks' defense, part of it is still the trepidation about the Patriots schedule — and perhaps more doubt after winning an ugly snow game in Denver. Having said that, there are some Super Bowl trends over the years and some particulars about this matchup that make you think.
Over the last 30 years of Super Bowls, there have been 16 games that featured a favorite of 4.5 points or more. The underdog covered the spread in those games 12 times, and pushed two more times, for a 12-2-2 overall record. Furthermore, the underdog won seven of those games outright.
Beyond that, the Patriots' interior pass rush with Milton Williams and Christian Barmore could, in theory, cause Sam Darnold and the Seahawks some problems. That's not to say Seattle's defense can't do the same, but Darnold had the highest turnover rate in the NFL when pressured this season, and New England's biggest strength on the defensive line matches up with the Seahawks' weak point on the offensive line.
So where does that leave us? Screw it, let's ride with the underdog.
Super Bowl LX Prediction: Seahawks 17, Patriots 20
The one thing I feel quite sure about is that the defenses will be the star of the show. I've seen quite a lot of score predictions that ultimately lean to the over, but I just don't see that happening. Again, the Patriots and Mike Vrabel have the horses and the scheme to make things uncomfortable for Darnold, just as Mike Macdonald's Seahawks are going to be fierce in getting Drake Maye off his spot and defending this receiving corps.
At the end of the day, though, I weirdly trust Maye to make more plays, the same of which is true for the Patriots run game. There won't be many explosive plays, and I think a runaway victory going in either direction is the least likely outcome for this matchup. But I'm going to roll with the Patriots to get it done, and go against the public, which has heavily been in favor of the Seahawks in terms of betting.
Who is performing at the Super Bowl? National anthem, halftime show and more
- National anthem: Charlie Puth
- Halftime Show: Bad Bunny
- America the Beautiful: Brandi Carlisle
- Life Every Voice and Sing: Coco Jones
- Opening Performance: Green Day
Bad Bunny performing the Super Bowl Halftime Show is obviously the headliner here. Not only is he one of the biggest and most popular artists in the world, but he's been the subject of undue controversy with his selection to perform at halftime. What supersedes all of that, however, is the fact that he's an elite showman and should give NFL fans an exceptional set during halftime. It's not hyperbolic to say that this could be an all-timer, regardless of if you're familiar with Bad Bunny or not.
Beyond that, Charlie Puth, known for both his musical catalogue and his social media presence, is set to perform the national anthem, while Brandi Carlisle and Coco Jones will perform "America the Beautiful" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing", respectively. To help celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl, though, fans will also get a performance by Green Day as part of the pregame ceremonies.