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The Ultimate Guide To Super Bowl Kickoff Time: Confirmed Schedule For LX (2026) And Future Dates

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Planning your ultimate Super Bowl Sunday party for the 2026 championship? As of today, December 22, 2025, the National Football League (NFL) has officially confirmed the date, time, and location for the next massive championship game, ensuring you can mark your calendar with precision. The question of "when is Super Bowl kickoff" is the most crucial detail for millions of fans, and the answer is locked in, along with exciting details about the pre-game entertainment and the highly anticipated halftime show.

The next iteration of the Big Game, Super Bowl LX (60), is just weeks away, and the kickoff time follows the traditional slot that has become a staple of American television. Whether you are watching from the East Coast, the West Coast, or internationally, understanding the precise schedule is essential to catch every moment of the action, from the opening coin toss to the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The Confirmed Kickoff Time for Super Bowl LX (2026)

The most important detail for all fans is the exact moment the ball is teed up. The NFL has maintained its standard schedule for the 2026 championship game, giving fans a reliable time slot to plan their day around.

  • Super Bowl: Super Bowl LX (60)
  • Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026
  • Location: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California
  • Kickoff Time (Eastern Time): 6:30 PM ET
  • Kickoff Time (Pacific Time): 3:30 PM PT
  • TV Broadcast: FOX

The 6:30 PM ET kickoff time is the official start time for the game itself. However, Super Bowl Sunday is a marathon, not a sprint, with hours of pre-game coverage, ceremonies, and entertainment leading up to the main event. For those in the local time zone of Santa Clara, California, the 3:30 PM PT start time allows for a perfect afternoon of tailgating and festivities before the game begins.

Why is the Kickoff Time Always 6:30 PM ET?

The consistent 6:30 PM Eastern Time kickoff has been strategically chosen by the NFL and its broadcast partners for maximum viewership. This time slot:

  • Allows for a full day of network pre-game coverage, which often starts as early as 9:00 AM ET.
  • Ensures the game concludes at a reasonable hour on the East Coast (typically around 10:00 PM to 10:30 PM ET), maximizing the audience before a workday Monday.
  • Provides an optimal afternoon start time for fans on the West Coast, where the game is being played, making it a major social event.

The Full Super Bowl Sunday Schedule: Pregame, Halftime, and Game Duration

Super Bowl Sunday is an all-day event, and the kickoff is merely the midpoint of a massive entertainment spectacle. To fully appreciate the day, you need to know the schedule for the major segments surrounding the game.

The Pre-Game Show and Ceremonies

Coverage on the main broadcast network (FOX for Super Bowl LX) typically begins in the early afternoon, but the official pre-game ceremonies start closer to the kickoff. These crucial 60-90 minutes include:

  • National Anthem: Performed just minutes before the kickoff.
  • America the Beautiful: A traditional performance that precedes the anthem.
  • Player Introductions: The moment the teams run onto the field.
  • Pre-Game Entertainment: For Super Bowl LX, the NFL has announced a star-studded lineup featuring performances by Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile, and Coco Jones.

If you want to catch all the major musical performances and the solemn ceremonies, plan to tune in by 6:00 PM ET at the latest.

The Apple Music Halftime Show

The halftime break is famously longer than a regular season game, lasting approximately 20 to 30 minutes to accommodate the elaborate stage setup and performance. The Apple Music Halftime Show is the single most-watched musical event of the year.

  • Halftime Start Time: Approximately 8:00 PM ET (roughly 90 minutes after kickoff).
  • Super Bowl LX Headliner: The headliner for the 2026 game at Levi's Stadium has been confirmed as the global music sensation Bad Bunny.

The halftime show is a major topical entity, and Bad Bunny's performance is expected to draw a massive global audience, making the 8:00 PM ET window a critical time for non-football fans and music lovers alike.

Total Game Duration and End Time

While an official NFL game is four 15-minute quarters (60 minutes of play), the total broadcast time is much longer due to timeouts, penalties, commercial breaks, and the extended halftime show. The typical Super Bowl broadcast lasts between 3.5 and 4 hours.

  • Estimated End Time: The game is expected to conclude between 10:00 PM and 10:30 PM ET.
  • The Trophy Presentation: The presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the winning team and the MVP acceptance speech immediately follow the final whistle and can extend the broadcast until closer to 11:00 PM ET.

Looking Ahead: Future Super Bowl Kickoff Details (LXI and Beyond)

For those planning even further into the future, the NFL has already selected the hosts for the following Super Bowls. While the exact kickoff times are still listed as "TBA" by the league, they are virtually guaranteed to follow the established 6:30 PM ET tradition.

Super Bowl LXI (2027)

The championship game for the 2026 NFL season will be played on Valentine's Day in Los Angeles, California.

  • Super Bowl: Super Bowl LXI (61)
  • Date: Sunday, February 14, 2027
  • Location: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
  • TV Broadcast: ABC and ESPN
  • Likely Kickoff Time: 6:30 PM ET

Super Bowl LXII (2028)

The following year, the Big Game heads to a major city in the South.

  • Super Bowl: Super Bowl LXII (62)
  • Date: Sunday, February 13, 2028
  • Location: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Likely Kickoff Time: 6:30 PM ET

In summary, the most current and important kickoff time to know is for Super Bowl LX (2026): 6:30 PM ET on Sunday, February 8, 2026, from Levi's Stadium. Mark your calendars for an afternoon of pre-game festivities and a thrilling evening of football and world-class entertainment.

when is superbowl kickoff
when is superbowl kickoff

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