Super Bowl 2026: What to Know About Super Bowl LX in the Bay Area

Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara will host Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8, 2026, with kickoff scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The championship matchup pits the New England Patriots, winners of the AFC title, against the Seattle Seahawks, winners of the NFC title, in a rematch of their dramatic meeting more than a decade ago. The game will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock, the Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show will be headlined by Bad Bunny, and Charlie Puth is slated to sing the national anthem.

The matchup

Both clubs arrive with strong seasons behind them, and contrasting storylines make the game compelling. New England reached the Super Bowl after a defensive, low-scoring win in Denver in the AFC Championship, while Seattle advanced in a more explosive NFC finale that featured a standout passing night from its quarterback.

Quick comparative snapshot

"The Bay Area was an incredible host for Super Bowl 50, and we are thrilled to bring the Super Bowl back," said the NFL commissioner when Levi's was approved as host a few years ago.

The matchup is shorthand for offense versus defense at times, and coaches on both sides have shown adaptability. Expect special teams and turnovers to be decisive in what could be a single-possession game.

Game logistics and viewing information

• Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026.
• Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT local). See code block below for conversions.
• Venue: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California, seating about 68,500 for regular events.
• TV / Streaming: NBC broadcast, Peacock for streaming, and Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo.

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Kickoff time conversions:

• Eastern Time (ET): 6:30 p.m.
• Central Time (CT): 5:30 p.m.
• Mountain Time (MT): 4:30 p.m.
• Pacific Time (PT): 3:30 p.m.
• UTC: 23:30 on Feb 8, 2026
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Broadcast team and production

NBC will handle the national broadcast, with a cross-platform push on Peacock. Network announcers and analysts will include the league's experienced production team, and NFL+ will carry additional programming for subscribers.

The halftime show, reactions and context

Apple Music will present the halftime show, headlined by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, a historic choice for several reasons, including his global streaming footprint and cultural reach. The pick has produced mixed reactions: many fans and industry observers praised the cultural milestone and the energy he brings to the stage, while some conservative commentators and groups criticized the selection, turning the halftime announcement into a wider cultural debate. League and production partners stood by the booking, saying the choice was deliberate and fits the global audience.

What fans and visitors should know

Events during Super Bowl week

• Super Bowl Experience and fan activations will take place in San Francisco venues during the week leading up to the game, with marquee events at Moscone Center, The Hibernia and other sites.
• The NFL and Bay Area Host Committee schedule concerts, charitable dinners and community events in the days before kickoff.

Tickets, prices and where to watch

• Game tickets trade on secondary markets, with prices fluctuating according to demand. If you do not hold a stadium ticket, large watch parties in San Francisco, San Jose and nearby venues will host live screenings.
• For those watching at home, stream options include Peacock, and many pay-TV services will carry NBC.

Getting to Levi's Stadium

Levi's is well served by regional transit, including Caltrain, VTA light rail, ACE and special event shuttles. Local authorities strongly encourage the use of public transit on game day, to avoid heavy congestion on US-101 and adjacent arterials. Plan for extra time going in and out of the stadium, and consult transit agency timing for extended return service.

Practical tips:

• Use Caltrain plus VTA connections from San Francisco for a predictable trip.
• Book parking early, or choose off-site lots with shuttle service.
• Expect enhanced security screening and bag rules at the stadium.

Local impact, money and controversy

The Super Bowl brings a mix of economic opportunity and political scrutiny. The Bay Area Host Committee and regional leaders project a substantial boost to the regional economy, with midpoint estimates putting the event in the hundreds of millions of dollars range across the Bay Area. At the same time, the host city of Santa Clara has flagged up-front public safety and logistical costs estimated in the low millions, creating a public debate about who bears risk and who reaps long-term benefit.

Supporters argue that the event generates tourist dollars, media exposure and charitable giving tied to the host committee, while critics point to municipal expenditures for policing, traffic control and the strain on local services. Those are familiar trade-offs for major events, and local officials have publicly debated guarantees, fundraising progress and fiscal transparency in the build-up to the game.

Stadium sustainability and environmental notes

Levi's Stadium has invested in sustainability measures in recent years, including solar panels, water conservation systems and recycling and composting programs. The NFL's environmental initiatives encourage host venues to reduce waste and promote public transit use. Still, tailgating and parking remain environmental pressure points, and organizers are encouraging fans to choose lower-impact travel options where possible.

Matchup dynamics and game storyline to watch

• New England leans on a stout defense and a methodical offensive approach, while Seattle has shown more explosiveness in passing and big-play creation.
• Quarterback matchups, red-zone efficiency and turnover margin are likely to determine the outcome.

Players to watch

• New England: Emerging playmakers on offense and a defense that bends but rarely breaks.
• Seattle: The quarterback and receiving corps, plus a defensive unit that has created key fourth-down stops in playoff games.

Odds, predictions and media narrative

Sportsbooks listed the game as close, with oddsmakers giving the Seahawks a small edge entering Super Bowl week. As always, betting lines are fluid and depend on injury reports and final weather and game-day conditions.

Multiple viewpoints

• Fans and many players see the matchup and the halftime show as celebratory moments, an opportunity for cultural exposure and a major sporting occasion.
• Local leaders and watchdogs stress careful accounting of municipal costs and insist on clarity about guarantees and who pays for what.
• Political commentators and some public figures viewed the halftime booking through a cultural lens, creating debate that the league and festival partners addressed publicly.

Final thoughts

Super Bowl LX will be both a sports event and a cultural moment, staged in a region still discussing the costs and benefits of hosting large-scale events. For fans, the essentials are straightforward: know your kickoff time, plan your travel, and arrive early. For locals and civic leaders, the Super Bowl is a test of planning and partnership, one whose final accounting will be written long after the confetti is cleaned up.

If you are headed to Santa Clara, check official transit and stadium pages for the latest schedules and policies, bring patience for crowds, and expect a high-energy game night capped by a headline halftime performance that has already become part of the story of this edition of the Big Game.

By David Anderson, veteran sports reporter.