Super Bowl 2026 is set for Sunday, February 8, 2026, and the key number for viewers is the kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET. The headline time matters because the on-field start typically follows a stretch of pregame ceremonies, and the most-watched moments—national anthem, flyover (if scheduled), and the coin toss—often land in the final minutes before the opening kick.

Here’s the latest on when to tune in, what “6:30 p.m. ET” really means in practice, and how the night is expected to unfold.

Official kickoff time: 6:30 p.m. ET

The scheduled kickoff for Super Bowl 2026 is 6:30 p.m. ET. That’s the time most listings show, and it’s the best planning anchor if you’re setting reminders, coordinating watch parties, or timing food and breaks.

One important nuance: “kickoff” is the football start, not the first moment of coverage. The game broadcast window begins earlier, and the final pregame segment—the one that flows into the anthem and coin toss—often starts well before 6:30 p.m. ET.

Pregame coverage starts hours earlier

If you want the full runway to the game, pregame programming begins around midday ET and runs continuously into the evening. Different streams of coverage begin at slightly different times, but the earliest major blocks are typically noon ET, with additional pregame shows starting 1:00 p.m. ET.

For casual viewers, a practical plan is to turn coverage on by late afternoon. For fans who don’t want to miss the ceremonial lead-in, plan to be settled in by 6:00 p.m. ET.

Pregame ceremonies: aim for 6:00 p.m. ET

The pregame ceremony window is the part most likely to shift by a few minutes depending on production timing. In general terms:

• The on-field ceremony segment is expected to begin around 6:00 p.m. ET

• The national anthem usually follows closer to kickoff

• The coin toss typically happens shortly before the opening kick

If your goal is “don’t miss the anthem,” the safest approach is to be watching no later than 6:15 p.m. ET.

Halftime show timing: expected around 8:00–8:30 p.m. ET

Halftime timing depends on game pace—scoring, reviews, and timeouts can all move the clock. Based on typical Super Bowl flow, halftime is expected to land roughly between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. ET.

If you’re trying to time a break or guests arriving, a good rule of thumb is that halftime tends to arrive about 90 minutes to two hours after kickoff, but the range is real. Close games with long drives can push it later; quick possessions can pull it earlier.

Quick schedule table (ET)

What to watch for if you’re timing plans

A few practical tips can help you avoid the common “we turned it on too late” problem:

• If you only care about gameplay: Tune in by 6:25 p.m. ET to comfortably catch the kickoff sequence.

• If you care about anthem and coin toss: Tune in by 6:15 p.m. ET, earlier if you want the full ceremony segment.

• If you’re hosting: Use 6:00 p.m. ET as your “everyone’s seated” target, then treat 6:30 p.m. ET as the hard start.

• If you’re timing halftime food: Plan for the midpoint around 8:15 p.m. ET, with flexibility on both sides.

Super Bowl 2026 is being played in Santa Clara, California, which is three hours behind Eastern Time. Even though the local start is mid-afternoon, the event is built for a prime-time audience in the East—another reason the 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff is the central reference.

Sources consulted: NFL, NBC Insider, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports