Super Bowl 2026: What time it kicks off tonight and the best way to watch in the UK
It's New England Patriots v Seattle Seahawks tonight
Super Bowl LX is on tonight, with the NFL’s 2025 season culminating in one of the biggest sports events of the year – so make sure you know what time it’s on, when to expect kick-off, who’s playing, and how to watch it in the UK.
American football isn’t as big as *whispers* actual football in the UK. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t popular.
In fact, the Super Bowl has benefited from increased viewership over the past few years. In 2024, LVII’s Chiefs vs 49ers game reached 3.7 million through Sky Sports, ITV, and DAZN. Those are higher ratings than the opening night of The Apprentice.
So, whether you’re a transatlantic NFL devotee or someone watching the Super Bowl for the first time, here’s what you should know.
What time is the Super Bowl kick-off tonight?
Super Bowl LX is expected to kick off at 11:30pm UK time on Sunday, February 8.
Coverage will begin from 10pm (or 10:30pm, depending on which channel you’re watching it on – we’ll get to that in a minute).
If you’re curious (or concerned) about how long it’ll last, that depends on what happens. Games are split into four 15-minute quarters, so that’s 60 minutes of regulation play.
By that, we mean 60 minutes (not accounting for overtime) where the players and the ball are in motion. But with stoppages, timeouts, and the half-time show, it could be as long as three hours, if not longer.
How to watch the Super Bowl for free in the UK
UK viewers have two options to watch this year’s Super Bowl: via Channel 5 or Sky Sports.
Channel 5’s coverage starts at 10:30pm, and you can expect to see Dermot O’Leary, Sam Quek and former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew. You can also stream the Super Bowl live via Channel 5’s website and its apps.
Crucially, if you’re watching it on Channel 5, it’s completely free.
Over on Sky, Super Bowl coverage begins at 10pm on Sky Sports Main Event. Neil Reynolds, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Phoebe Schecter, Jason Bell, Ndamukong Suh, and Olivia Harlan Dekker will be providing build-up from the event.
If you have a DAZN NFL Game Pass subscription, you can also watch the US broadcast of the game.
Which teams are playing?
The New England Patriots are taking on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.
For the Patriots, it’s their first year under new head coach Mike Vrabel, who played for the team between 2001 and 2008.
If they win, he’ll be the fifth man (after Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy, Tom Flores, and Doug Pederson) to win the Super Bowl as a player and a coach.
IT’S A PATRIOTS VS. SEAHAWKS SUPER BOWL!
Who ya got? 🍿 pic.twitter.com/ymoI4WJEE8
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 26, 2026
The Seahawks (who have only won one Super Bowl, compared to the Patriots’ six) have coach Mike Macdonald.
Tony Dungy praised Macdonald at the opening night, saying: “This team loves each other, they believe in each other, and I think that all traces back to coach Macdonald.
“Being there at practice, watching them during the season, just watching how it’s been put together, I love the culture.”
Super Bowl half-time show: What time it’s on and who’s performing
Bad Bunny is headlining this year’s Super Bowl half-time show, becoming the first solo male Latin artist to perform at the event. The half-time show is expected to take place at around 1am UK time on Monday, February 9.
The Puerto Rican star, 31, has broken Spotify records and recently won Album of the Year at the GRAMMYs.
“Bad Bunny is one of the greatest artists in the world and that’s one of the reasons we chose him, but the other reason is he understood the platform he was on,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.
Green Day will also mark the Super Bowl’s 60th anniversary with a performance before the game begins.
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