Explainer-NFL-Everything you need to know about the 2026 Super Bowl

Jan 26 (Reuters) – The Seattle Seahawks will face the New England Patriots in the 60th Super Bowl, arguably the biggest single event in U.S. sports with a huge global audience. Here’s everything you need to know about Super Bowl LX, including who is performing at halftime.

WHERE WILL THE 60TH SUPER BOWL BE HELD?

The National Football League’s championship game will take place in Santa Clara, California, at Levi’s Stadium, home to the San Francisco 49ers, with a seating capacity of 68,500.

Levi’s Stadium also hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016, when the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers. It will be the second Super Bowl played in the stadium since it opened in 2014.

WHEN WILL THE SUPER BOWL BE PLAYED?

The 60th Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on February 8 at 6:30 p.m. ET (2330 GMT). This highly anticipated event on the U.S. sports calendar draws not just football fans but those interested in the halftime show and specially created advertisements.

Last year’s Super Bowl drew an estimated 127.7 million U.S. viewers.

HAS EITHER TEAM WON A SUPER BOWL BEFORE?

The New England Patriots are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl victories with six, and will be making a record-extending 12th appearance in the championship game and first since the Tom Brady era.   The Seattle Seahawks are making their fourth Super Bowl appearance and seeking their second title. In their last Super Bowl, Seattle lost 28-24 to the Patriots in February 2015.

WHERE CAN YOU WATCH THIS YEAR’S SUPER BOWL?

NBC will broadcast the Super Bowl and it will also be available to stream on Peacock. Outside of the United States and China, it is also available on sports streaming service DAZN and other services.

WHO IS PERFORMING THE 2026 SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW?

The Super Bowl halftime show, a 12- to 15-minute musical extravaganza and one of the most coveted slots on the U.S. music calendar, will feature Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny, a three-time Grammy Award-winner and prominent voice against U.S. anti-immigrant policies.

Bad Bunny, whose full name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, released his sixth studio album in January 2025. Also an actor, he co-founded the sports marketing agency Rimas Sports and is a co-owner of Puerto Rican basketball team Los Cangrejeros de Santurce.

The choice of Bad Bunny, who sings all his songs in Spanish, drew a rebuke from U.S. President Donald Trump and other conservatives over the entertainer’s outspoken criticism of U.S. immigration policy. Bad Bunny excluded U.S. dates from his most recent world tour, citing fear U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would raid the concert venues.

Past Super Bowl halftime performers include Prince, Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Madonna and the Rolling Stones. Last year, Kendrick Lamar provided the halftime entertainment.    

HOW MUCH DO SUPER BOWL TICKETS COST?

Super Bowl tickets are among the most coveted in all of sports, notoriously hard to find, and their prices are impacted by the game’s location and which teams are playing.

According to ticket marketplace TickPick, the cheapest get-in price for the Super Bowl is around $6,085, while the average ticket price is $9,649. The most expensive ticket for this Super Bowl is $57,834, TickPick says.

The two Super Bowl teams split 35% of the tickets, the host team receives 5% and the remaining 29 NFL teams each get around 1% and hold lotteries among their season-ticket holders. The NFL retains 25% of the tickets for media members, business and community partners. The league also gives away 500 tickets.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ADVERTISE DURING THE SUPER BOWL?

The Super Bowl is among the world’s most coveted televised events for advertisers given the huge guaranteed audience, with a premium placed on creativity as Super Bowl commercials can generate outsized buzz.

The price for placing commercials during the 2026 Super Bowl is reportedly between $7 million and $8 million, similar to the range for a 30-second spot during last year’s game on Fox.

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE SUPER BOWL TROPHY?

The Vince Lombardi Trophy awarded to the Super Bowl winner each year is named in honor of legendary NFL Hall of Fame coach Lombardi, who led the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowl games.

The sterling silver trophy, which stands 22 inches (55.88 cm) tall and weighs 7 pounds (3.18 kg), is handcrafted by Tiffany & Co and depicts a regulation-size football in kicking position on a stand with three concave sides. A new trophy is cast each year for the winning team while players receive a smaller, personalized replica.

WHO WON THE SUPER BOWL IN 2025?

Last year’s Super Bowl saw the Philadelphia Eagles deny the Kansas City Chiefs a historic three-peat with a 40-22 rout.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran in another in earning the game’s Most Valuable Player trophy.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Bill Berkrot)