Super Bowl 2026 start time, date, channel, and the Seahawks–Patriots matchup

Super Bowl Sunday is close, and the two questions fans keep asking are simple: when is the Super Bowl and what time does it start. Super Bowl LX (the 2026 game) is set for early February, with a familiar prime-time kickoff window in Eastern Time (ET).

Here’s everything you need for Super Bowl 2026 date, Super Bowl time, superbowl kickoff time, who’s playing, and where to watch.

What time does the Super Bowl start?

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 8, 2026. That’s the start of the game action; pregame coverage begins earlier in the day and runs straight through kickoff.

If you’re trying to plan food, friends, or a viewing party, it helps to think in three blocks:

• Pregame: afternoon into early evening (ET)

• Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET

• Halftime: typically lands roughly 8:00–8:30 p.m. ET, depending on game flow

When is Super Bowl Sunday 2026, and is the Super Bowl today?

Super Bowl Sunday 2026 is February 8, 2026.

Today is Tuesday, February 3, 2026 (ET), so the Super Bowl is not today. It’s five days away.

That timing matters for travel and watch-party planning because much of the league’s official Super Bowl week schedule—media events, fan activations, and sponsor programming—compresses into the Monday-to-Sunday stretch leading up to the game.

Who is playing in the Super Bowl?

The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots will play in Super Bowl LX.

It’s a matchup that brings two very different storylines:

• Seattle is back on the biggest stage with a roster that’s been playing its best football late in the season.

• New England returns to the Super Bowl spotlight with a new-era identity and a defense-first edge that has carried momentum through the playoffs.

For many fans, the hook is also the history: it’s a headline rematch that instantly connects to past Super Bowl memories, even though the teams, coaches, and core players have changed.

Where is the Super Bowl in 2026?

Super Bowl LX will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

From a practical standpoint, that means:

• Local start time is 3:30 p.m. Pacific, but most national listings emphasize the 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff.

• The Bay Area’s transit, security checkpoints, and event footprint tend to make arrival time a bigger deal than a typical NFL game—fans attending in person generally plan to be on-site well before the final hour.

What channel is the Super Bowl on, and where to watch

In the United States, Super Bowl LX will air on NBC, with Telemundo carrying a Spanish-language broadcast.

For streaming, options include Peacock, and NFL+ offers mobile viewing options (availability and device rules can differ by plan and location). If you’re watching through a live-TV streaming bundle or a cable/satellite provider, the simplest move is to locate NBC in your channel guide and confirm the local channel number, since that varies by city and provider.

If you’re hosting, it’s worth doing a quick test run earlier in the day:

• confirm the app login works,

• confirm the stream loads cleanly,

• and verify your TV is set to the right input or channel before pregame ramps up.

What to watch for as kickoff nears

With the game only days away, the biggest “right now” items fans track tend to be practical rather than tactical: final injury updates, travel logistics, and whether their viewing setup is stable for a long broadcast window.

A few calendar points also shape the week:

• The league’s awards show typically lands midweek before the game, which can influence storylines and media attention.

• Final practice reports and official game-status designations usually firm up closer to the weekend, which is when bettors and casual viewers alike start locking in expectations.

For most viewers, though, the main plan is straightforward: Sunday, February 8, 6:30 p.m. ET, Seahawks vs. Patriots—then settle in for a full night of football, commercials, and halftime spectacle.

Sources consulted: NFL; Associated Press; Reuters; ABC News